


The One: Supernatural Edition

by motorbike_on_the_avenue



Series: The One [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Reality Show, Baking, Bisexual Dean Winchester, Contestants, Firefighter Dean, LARPing, Light Angst, No Smut, Pie, Reality TV, Wedding, Writer Castiel, dating show, they don't meet till one of the last chapters just so you know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2018-12-02 05:51:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 73,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11503083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/motorbike_on_the_avenue/pseuds/motorbike_on_the_avenue
Summary: The One is America's #1 dating show!Twenty contestants will spend six weeks competing in tasks, to show the American public they should be picked to marry the suitor.Over the six weeks, they'll be voted down till just The One remains...Dean Winchester is this year's suitor. A 34 year old firefighter from Kansas he isn't entirely sure why he applied to a dating show where he has to get married at the end.Especially since he'll never have met (or seen) anything about his future lawfully wedded whatever.But just who will be voted The One?(Alternate POV's, unbeted, already written)





	1. Chapter One: Dean

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first full length fic (for Supernatural, and in over five years at least).  
> Earlier this year I wrote the 30 days of cheesy tropes challenge and for the 'Arranged Marriage AU' I did a one shot about meeting on a reality TV show.  
> It's called Finding Mr. Right if you'd like to read it.  
> This is obviously based off of that, but a lot has changed. 
> 
> Inspiration has been taken from all well known dating shows ie Married at first sight, The Bachelor, Unreal.  
> All mistakes are my own.

The house was big. Bigger than Dean was expecting anyway. He’d been told he’d be spending the next six weeks in a cabin in the woods, but this was nothing like what he’d pictured. His Dad, John, and his buddy Bobby had a cabin in the woods near their home in Kansas. A tiny wooden building, with two single camp beds pushed up against the wall, a gas cooker, a small wardrobe and a tiny bathtub shoved in there. It was their hunting cabin and Dean’s Dad used to take him and his younger brother Sam up there most weekends, teaching them how to shoot.

Dean figures you could fit five of those hunting cabins in here.

He’s not sure why he’s surprised. He’s watched _The One_ for years, but they never show the outside of this building. Just the living room.

‘They are not messing around, are they?’ Sam says. He climbs out of Dean’s Baby, a 1967 Impala, as soon as Dean’s pulled into the driveway, crunching on the gravel.

‘Not to be the downside, and obviously I hate to bring it up because it just feeds into the argument about gender stereo types, but the usual contestants on the show are woman,’ Dean’s best friend Charlie says. Her and Sam have come to see Dean in his new home – for the next six weeks anyway. ‘I guess they usually go for the whole ‘Disney Princess’ kind of thing, you know in the woods surrounded by wildlife and flowers. It is a romance show after all.’

Dean hops out the car, trying to pay no attention to the cameras he can feel following his every move. There’s two guys filming him outside the front of the cabin, and he knows there’s at least one camera at the top of a tree somewhere. The producers at _The One_ told him it’s so they can keep an eye on him. Make sure he’s not sneaking out, or bringing people home.

One of the previous suitors got caught doing that. She became the most hated suitor ever.

‘Dean! Hey! Welcome to your home for the next six weeks!’ Jo Harvelle, the host of _The One_ appears right beside him, as if from nowhere. She gestures towards the house, smiling at the camera. Dean’s met her a couple of times now, but there hasn’t been a camera there before. She’s a small blonde woman, who’s been hosting the show for the previous four seasons. Having been an avid watcher of the show since the start, ten seasons ago, Dean thought Jo was always smiley and flirty and warm.

She is like that, but he also knows that she can rip you to shreds with words, and can beat most men twice her size in arm wrestling. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘Uh, a little overwhelmed to be honest with you. Jo.’ Dean says. He’s already been prepped by so many producers before today. Endless meetings and media training so he knows how to come across on camera. He’s been told to say Jo’s name as much as he feels he can get away with. He doesn’t understand why, something about drawing the audience in.

‘That’s to be expected. Shall we go in?’ She holds out a gold key on a chain to him, a #1 silver key ring next to it. It’s the logo of the show.

There’s a sudden clenching in his stomach. He’s been preparing for this for months, almost a year even, when he first sent in the application to be the next suitor.

But suddenly it’s real. Dean’s going to be spending six weeks cut off from the outside world, while every week a main house full of contestants will be voted down to just _The One_ he should get married to.

Should get married to. That makes it sound like he has a choice. He doesn’t. At the end of the six weeks, whoever the public have chosen are going to be waiting for Dean at the end of the aisle. Dean will legally get married to whoever they’ve chosen.

And he won’t have a frigging clue who that person will be, because Dean doesn’t get to meet them until the curtain drops, and he sees who’s standing there, waiting for him.

 

**

 

The cabin is nice, although Dean thinks Charlie was right. They’ve had ten women living here, and though they’ve made small changes – the pictures of flowers replaced by ones of powerful animals, a couple of the rooms re-painted from a pinkish colour to a greenish one, the lace tablecloths and curtains now just plain – you can tell it was built with women in mind.  

The doorframes are small. Small enough that Dean has to duck his head slightly to get through them – Dean’s brother Sam, who’s practically a giant, has to bend at the back to get through.

Dean’s spent years watching this cabin, but it looked a lot smaller on TV. He only ever remembers seeing one tiny square of the living room.

Each episode of _The One_ is split into three sections; the first part where Jo catches up with the suitor. Finds out how they’re feeling, what they’ve been doing and what task they’re set for the contestants. The second shows the contestants taking part in said task.

The third part is the live vote off where each week a number of them will be cut.

‘Do you like it?’ Jo asks. It’s just him and her in the living room, the camera men staying outside. There are cameras fixed to the wall in every room of the house – bar the bathrooms, and the bedroom, of course – so they’re not needed in here for different angles. Dean keeps finding his gaze drifting to the little black circles on the walls, even though he’s been told not to look at the cameras.

‘Sure. It’ll do for six weeks,’ Dean says. He smiles to show he’s joking, but his heart is pounding at being here. He watched as the woman from season 4 threw up all over the white floorboards after she spent an evening getting drunk on wine. He’s seen the woman from number 9 bake pies and cookies and whatever else she could think of in the kitchen.

He always thought it would look more like a set, than an actual home. But he does like it. When he thinks of cabins, he’d usually picture dark wood and patterned armchairs, big beams crisscrossing the ceiling.

But, this is TV. Everything is clean and modern, brightly lit and done in pale colours. It’s big, the living room probably even bigger than the flat he’s currently sharing with Sam back home in Kansas. There’s a big squashy sofa sitting against the back wall, facing a TV, which Dean already knows has his favourite programs on it, but no access to the outside world. He won’t be able to flick onto the news, or watch any entertainment channels.

Although they have promised that they’ll upload the latest _Dr. Sexy (_ a medical drama series) episodes for him each week. Dean’s a big fan.

There’s a kitchen leading from the living room, a long room, which he can see most of, thanks to the wall having an open serving hatch built into it.

He knows upstairs there’s one bedroom with a double bed, and a bathroom. There’s a bathroom down here as well, just in the hallway.

‘That’s what we like to hear,’ Jo says. She gestures at him to have a seat on the sofa, and Dean sinks into it, a little bit more than he planned to. The cushions sort of suck you in. Jo sits on the seat next to him, smoothing down her skirt, crossing her legs. ‘Dean. We’re just going to have a little chat now, okay? I’ll ask you a few questions about how you’re feeling, what you hope to gain from doing this show. Introduce you to the viewers sort of thing. That alright?’ Dean nods. He’s already been in make up for half an hour before they let him drive up to the house (from just down the road. They wanted to get the shot of him arriving), but one of the make-up team appears again, brushing his face with some kind of powder. Dean flinches back a little – he knows it’s just to make sure he looks good in HD, but he’s not really sure about having his make-up done.

Someone else comes to wire a microphone on him, and then the flurry of people who were just here – working on Jo too – disappear, leaving the cabin silent.

Jo turns and faces a small camera set directly opposite them, under the TV. She’s got an earpiece in, and someone must tell her to go as a smile suddenly blooms on her face and she starts the introduction.

‘Welcome loyal viewers to our new season of _The One!_ I know you’re all really excited to see who we’ve got in store for you over the next six weeks! We’ll be meeting our lucky man – yes you heard that right, man – in the next few minutes, but first a quick walk through of the show for the new viewers I know have just tuned in!’ Jo’s smile is a million watts, and Dean has to hide a laugh. He’s never had any reason to doubt her when he was watching through a TV screen, but there’s something about being here next to her this time; he seems to hear the thin layer of sarcasm in her words, see the gleam in her eyes.

Dean lets her words wash over him. He knows she’s explaining the slightly tweaked format this year.

Dean Winchester, 34, is the very first male suitor on _The One._ All seasons before him have featured a woman looking for her husband.

Dean’s also the very first bisexual suitor they’ve had on the show. Men and women will be competing to be his ‘newly-wedded-whatever’ at the end of the contest.

He knows it’s a big deal. That online most people have been supportive, but that in the real world, protests have happened. _The One_ is billed as a light-hearted family entertainment show – it’s on during early evening, enough that kids grow up watching it with their parents. There’s extra security watching the house this year – both this one and the main house – in case people get ideas in their head.

But it’s also a big deal in the TV world, and Dean wants to do them proud. Wants to do the people he’s representing proud.

‘Let me introduce you to this year’s suitor – Dean Winchester!’ Dean knows that a two-minute video of him introducing himself to the nation will play here – him showing off his family and friends, his car, his interests, his work (he’s a firefighter). ‘So, Dean,’ Jo says turning to him. He tries to relax his muscles, but he knows he’s a little tense. _It’s fine_ , he tells himself. _This isn’t live._ Dean won’t go on live TV until his wedding. ‘Tell the viewers why you decided to apply to the show.’ He’s been through this a thousand times. All his answers have been written, edited, tried out in front of his bathroom mirror, with Sam laughing in the next room for the past few months.

‘Well, Jo, I’ve been a big fan of _The One_ since it started.’ He decided to leave out the part where he only used to watch it because he’d get to stare at 20 men for an hour a week, when he was just coming to terms with his sexuality, and that the winner of season 1 was the first guy ever to feature in his fantasies. ‘When I heard at the end of the last season that you were looking for a male suitor for the next season – and a bisexual man at that – I decided why not.’ He spreads his hands in a shrug, but it wasn’t quite like that. Him and Charlie had been at her flat, getting drunk off banana flavour vodka – which is as disgusting as it sounds – because Dean had just been stood up.

But he didn’t think ‘because I was drunk, depressed and lonely’ is the answer they wanted him to give.

‘And what are you hoping to gain from this experience, Dean?’ Dean catches himself before he can say ‘a husband.’ The main house will have women in it too for the first year, and he doesn’t really care if he ends up with a wife.

It might be that when he’s pictured the him of five years from now, there’s usually a guy in the kitchen cooking breakfast for them, before they get back into their double bed, watching Sunday morning movies together, but he’s also had girlfriends who he’s loved deeply and who could potentially have turned into a wife.

‘Well, in all honestly, true love would be a pretty good deal,’ Dean laughs. It’s a long shot – not one of the couples from previous seasons have been together a year later. In fact, later in this episode, there will be a short piece on the couple from last year, who Dean knows have already split and aren’t speaking to each other.

One couple had a baby together, but they’re both remarried to other people now.

No one has met the person they want to spend the rest of their life with on this show. ‘And the opportunity of meeting you of course,’ Dean adds. He gives Jo a small wink, and she laughs, then punches him on the arm. Hard enough that he winces.

‘How are you feeling about this journey?’

‘I’m scared. Excited. A little nervous about spending six weeks away from my phone and my job, but at least my friends and family can still visit.’

‘And the fact that in six weeks you’ll be getting married to someone who’s name you don’t even know? How do you feel about that?’

‘I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t up for it,’ Dean says. Jo turns back around to talk to the camera but gives him a little wink herself – hers isn’t flirty, more like a thumbs up.

‘That’s it with Dean for now, but we’ll be checking in on him as the weeks progress. Now, let’s get to the part you’re all excited about – let’s go and meet this year’s twenty contestants who you’ll spend the next few weeks voting off till just _The One_ Dean will marry remains.’

Jo grins at the camera for a beat of five, Dean not dropping the smile from his face either until she does. ‘See that wasn’t so hard, was it?’ Jo asks. She’s standing up, while the people have appeared back in the room to take off microphones and fluff the cushions where Jo’s been sitting.

‘Not as bad as I was expecting, no,’ Dean says. His heart is slowing down a bit now. Charlie and Sam appear in the doorway – he doesn’t know where they’ve been, probably upstairs out of the way.

‘It’ll get easier, over the weeks. At the end, you won’t even be thinking about the millions of people who’re watching you.’

‘Thanks Jo. That’s helpful.’ She grins at him.

‘I do what I can.’ Dean stands, walking Jo to the front door. Charlie and Sam are staying the night here with him, sleeping on air beds in the living room. Since the show is filmed in LA, but they all live in Kansas – and Dean doesn’t even want to know how they think that’s going to work out if he ends up married to someone who lives in another state, because there is no way he’s moving – the TV company have kindly offered to put them up in the nearest hotel. They’ll be spending a lot of time with the contestants, helping them with tasks Dean sets each week, and getting to know them for him, so it makes more sense than them going back and forth all the time.

‘Is the day over for you too?’ Dean asks Jo.

‘Oh no, now’s the fun part,’ Jo says. ‘Now I get to go to the main house and meet your potential husbands or wives for the first time.’


	2. Chapter Two: Cas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There may be some medical / army background inaccuracy from this point forward, but it's not a big part of the story.  
> Dorothy's last name has been changed to Gale.  
> All mistakes are my own.

‘Do you think they’ve thought this through?’ Balthazar asks. Cas closes his eyes at the British blond’s question. Having been friends with Balthazar for years, Cas has a feeling he knows where this is going.

‘Thought what through?’ asks Lisa Braden. She’s the dark-haired woman with the son, Cas remembers. He has to keep doing this, every time one of the 19 people around him speak. Remind himself of their names, of facts about them. He’s usually pretty good at recalling names, but it’s a lot of people in a short space of time. They were all only introduced to each other an hour ago.

‘Putting a bunch of men and woman of all different sexual orientation in a big house together. Thought they’d be afraid of airing an orgy on network TV, but if that’s what they’re after I am more than happy to oblige,’ Balthazar says.

‘Little stereotypical, isn’t it? Assuming just because we could all sleep together that we will,’ says Michael Vess, the dark-haired guy sitting opposite Cas. He was in the army, has only recently come back from his second tour.      

‘More like wishful thinking darling,’ Balthazar says, winking at him. ‘Anyone else up for it?’

‘I’m in,’ says Crowley, the other British guy. He works at a record company. ‘Anyone else?’

‘I am one hundred percent sure that the producers on this show have thought of everything, including what would happen if two of us slept together,’ Cas says. You have to get in early with Balthazar, or else he’ll keep going. ‘I’m assuming it would be great ratings, a lot of column inches depending on what the gender pairings were, and everyone involved getting kicked off the show. _The One_ is supposed to sell romance, remember?’

‘Romance, right. Because nothing says romance like ‘hey, we’ve never met but the bunch of people who watch this tripe have spent $2.15 per phone call to decide who’d be your perfect partner for life,’ Meg Masters says. She’s the dark curly haired one. She’s noticed Cas hiding a smirk at some of the things the others have been saying, and now keeps raising an eyebrow at him.

Cas thinks maybe they could be friends.

‘If you’re not here for the romance, why are you here?’ asks Anna Milton. Red hair, father’s a priest.

‘Come on Red, don’t tell me you believe whatever smuck the suitor is this series will actually fall in love with whichever one of us happens to get voted in?’ Meg asks.

‘I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe there was a chance,’ Anna answers. They’re sitting next to each other in this soulless so called green-room where they’ve all been gathered. There’s nothing here but lots of couches which they’re all squashed onto.

It’s an even tighter fit for the girls, in their evening wear. All the guys are in suits, jackets slung over the arm of the sofas, since it’s unbelievable warm in here, but the women have no escape.

Cas feels sorry for them – those dresses are silk, velvet, linen. Some of them have got to weigh at least five pounds.  Any minute now they’ll be called one by one, out onto the porch of the house, where they’ll turn and pose for the camera and talk to the host of the show.

Damn it. Cas can’t remember the name of the host. He’s been so busy concentrating on these people, he didn’t think about anyone else.

‘You want to talk about chance? Alright. The chances of Mr. Suitor’s one true love even applying to _The One_ this season are let’s say thirty percent, if you say that 300,000 people applied, which is what I heard. Then the chances that they got selected and are actually sitting in this room right now. 10%. Then there’s the next six weeks where we have to present ourselves to the camera, and be the perfect partner for Mr. Suitor, or at least appear to the public that we are. You think you can really beat all of us to be _The One_ at the end of the aisle?’ Everyone sort of sits back in their seat at that. For whatever reasons, they’ve all ended up in this room. Cas assumes it’s all for the same reason – to be in with a chance of winning.

Of marrying Meg’s so called Mr. Suitor.

‘Okay, well you literally just pulled those percentages out of your ass,’ Dick Roman says. He owns a big company and is sitting on a sofa by himself. Cas thinks he’s a little creepy.

‘I believe I’ve got a 1 in 10 chance,’ Anna says.

‘I think you’ll find there are twenty of us here love,’ Crowley says.

‘Yeah,’ Anna draws the word out slowly. ‘But this is a family entertainment show on network television. Personally, I’ve got nothing against it, but do you really think the viewing public are going to vote for a gay marriage? We all know the guys are going to be the first to go.’

‘You don’t know that at all,’ Lisa says. ‘There’s a lot of support for this. And there are loads of gay dating shows.’ Are there? Cas doesn’t know. He hadn’t even heard of _The One_ till Balthazar bought it to his attention.

‘But this isn’t just a dating show. It’s a public voted marriage show. Why do you think they went with a bisexual man instead of just a gay one? If they really wanted to make headlines, why not just fill this house with guys?’

‘Actually, I think having a bisexual, not just a gay guy is a big step. I know the LGBT community is under represented in mainstream media as it is, but bisexuals are less talked about even there, and there’s an awful lot of misconceptions about them,’ Dorothy Gale says. Dark plait, teaches female only self-defence classes.  

Before they can get into a debate about the LGBT community in mainstream media, there’s a knock on the door, and Jessica Moore, the showrunner of _The One_ comes through. She’s pretty and blonde and smiley. A little bit of Cas’s tension eases out.

‘Hey guys, sorry to interrupt. Just to let you know this is your five-minute warning. I’ll be coming back to get each of you individually and we’ll take you in alphabetical order, according to the preferred name you’ve given us. Aaron, you’re up first, okay? Remember big smiles and I’ll see you in five.’ Jessica disappears back through the door, and where the atmosphere had been a little relaxed, everyone’s nerves have shot up now.

Cas takes a deep breath. He doesn’t know why he’s so nervous – Meg’s right. The chances of him being _The One_ to win this show are too high at the moment for him to worry about it. Maybe if he gets down to the final week, although there’s a long way to go between then and now.

Cas has never done anything like this before. He spent a year in the army after medical school before getting discharged (gunshot to the hand, resulting in radical nerve damage. It would have been fine, if his surgery to fix it hadn’t been botched, or if it hadn’t gotten infected after the second operation. As it is he still occasionally gets burning pains up and down his arm, or a spasm in his hand.) That’s when he started travelling and writing his books.  

There’s never been a lot of time for dating. Sure, he’s had boyfriends and girlfriends before, but nothing that’s lasted longer than a few months. When you’re only in a country to gather research for up to two months, everything has an expiration date.

Apart from his family, Balthazar’s been his longest relationship and they’re just friends.

A year ago, Balthazar came to him, with the application form for _The One_ in his hand, and begged him to sign up with him, because it would be a laugh.

Cas had felt this pull. He’s not the kind of guy who believes in fate or destiny, but that feeling when he got the call back saying he’d been selected to be one of this year’s contestants, of being on the right path was pretty hard to ignore.

‘Alright, we’re ready for you. Aaron Bass, please come this way,’ Jessica says. She’s back in the room, smiling, holding her arm out for the nervous young man. The door shuts behind them.

They’ve all been talked through this. They’ll be led outside one by one, taken to the stage. They need to descend the staircase at the side of the house, then walk to greet – Jo, that’s her name, Jo Harvelle – the host. She’ll ask them their name, and then they’ve been given something supposedly funny that matches their personality to say. A sidebar of other information – family, age, occupation – will be up on the TV screens next to them when the show goes out, providing all the viewers with handy facts about them. Jo will gift them with the silver bracelet that they must keep on them at all times. At the vote off it will have charms added to it, to tell you if you’re staying or going.  

‘At least this part isn’t live,’ Lisa says. There are a few nods of agreement, and Cas smiles at her. That’s true. The live parts won’t come until later.

‘Anna Milton?’ Jessica is back, but that seems a lot shorter than two minutes to Cas. Anna stands, smoothing out her dress, flicking her hair over her shoulders. Cas notices a few women in the room roll their eyes at her, but more wish her luck as she leaves.

In what feels like no time at all Balthazar is called. He gives Cas a wink as he passes.

Then Bela Tablot leaves, a smirk on her face as she stalks past them all.

Carmen Porter, the model, is the next to go. Just one more person before Cas’s turn. After they’ve given their soundbite to the camera, they’ll be led off, out of shot and into the main house. They’ve each been assigned a bedroom for what could be a stay of six weeks. None of them have been inside yet, although Cas knows a lot of the other contestants have watched the previous seasons of this show and at least have a vague idea of what to expect.

Cassie Robinson, the woman who drives monster trucks for a living is called, and Cas is next. He takes a deep breath, smiles back at those who are looking at him then stands, preparing himself.

It’s so stupid, but he can’t get the idea out of his head, that he was meant to be here. That he’s supposed to win this thing, marry the suitor.

‘Castiel Shurley? It’s your turn.’ Jessica is back, holding the door open for him. Cas takes another deep breath, walking towards her, heading out into the balmy night air. The set is pretty, all twinkling fairy lights strung up in the trees. There’s Jo Harvelle waiting for him on a circle of purple patio stones, facing six different cameras. Cas has to wait a minute before he can walk down the stone steps leading to her for his microphone to be attached to him. ‘You ready for this?’ Jessica asks. _It’s just a TV show. You’ve been through worse, and there’s not a lot that can happen. The worst is you’ll feel disappointed if you lose. Which is ridiculous since you know nothing about the guy. He might be just as annoying as some of the other contestants are,_ Cas thinks to himself.

‘Of course I am,’ Cas says. ‘What’s there to be scared of?’


	3. Chapter Three: Dean

‘Rise and shine!’ There’s a pillow hitting him in the face, and Dean groans, turning over. It’s barley daylight. ‘The people from the show will be here in like ten minutes, Dean. Me and Sam left you as late as we could, but you really need to have a wash before they arrive.’ Dean groans again as Charlie pulls the blankets off him. She had as much as he had to drink last night, why isn’t she tucked into bed with a hangover.

He kicks his legs out of bed. That bottle of whiskey last night was a bad idea. He’s got to appear on camera in - what did Charlie say, ten minutes? – and he knows it’s not going to be a good look. ‘Into the shower with you, and Sam laid out some clean clothes. Come down when you’re ready. There’s bacon!’ Charlies gives him a pat on the shoulder before she’s bounding down the cream coloured stairs.

Bacon. That’s a good reason to get up and showered.

When Dean enters the living room Charlie and Sam are sitting at the table, plates of food in front of them. There’s something nasty and healthy looking on Sam’s plate, oats or seeds or whatever health kick alternative he’s on this week.

‘Here,’ Charlie says, pushing her plate across, the bacon she promised making Dean’s stomach rumble.

‘This is what I’m talking about,’ he says, ripping into a strip. He’s not sure when he last ate, since he was too bundled up with nerves yesterday.

‘I’d hurry that along if I were you. The car bringing Jo and the others is pulling up now,’ Sam says, craning his neck so he can see out the window behind Dean. Sam gets up to let them in, as Dean rushes through his breakfast. They’ve very helpfully set up an online shopping account for him, where Dean can just add what he needs and have it delivered the next day. The fridge was already stocked when he arrived here last night, but just with the basics. He’s going to have to order food soon.

There’s no pie in the house. And Dean loves his pie.

‘Good morning suitor. How are you feeling?’ Jo asks coming into the room. She’s wearing one of her trademark flowery dresses, but she keeps pulling at it. She peers at Dean’s face. ‘Over did it on the drink last night huh? Naughty Dean have you learnt nothing from watching the show?’ She shakes her head, tutting, but there’s a faint smile behind her eyes. ‘You know what this means, don’t you?’ she asks, settling herself in the same spot on the couch from yesterday.

Dean feels a small qualm in his stomach. They wouldn’t kick him off the show for this would they? He knows there was one woman who had a bit of a drinking problem and they didn’t discover it till she was four weeks in, and breaking things around the house, and that the producers on _The One_ have strict regulations about alcohol on the premises now. He wasn’t even that drunk. It was one bottle shared between three of them.

Dean can’t drink as much as he used to, and he certainly can’t handle the mornings after any more.

But Jo’s still got that slightly evil glint in her eye and he thinks she’d be disappointed if he was being kicked off the show. ‘Extra time in make-up to cover up the circles under the eyes! Can’t have you looking like a drinker.’ Dean’s shoulders relax. ‘Hey, don’t worry so much,’ Jo says. ‘As long as you don’t throw up in sight of a camera it’s all good, drink as much as you like, just hide it better than season four.’

‘Nobody better be throwing up, or drinking as much as they like. If anything goes wrong with this season I’ll be the one getting it in the neck.’ Another pretty blonde woman steps into the living room, Sam following behind. Sam’s almost got literal heart eyes as he looks at her.

Well, that’s going to be interesting.

‘You must be Jessica Moore, the new showrunner,’ Dean says holding out a hand for her to shake.

‘And you must be Dean Winchester. It’s good to finally meet you, sorry I haven’t before. It’s been a crazy few months trying to get this all going. And not to put too fine a point on it, but I trust you more than I trust those twenty contestants in the main house.’

‘You don’t trust them?’ Dean asks, ears pricked for any word about the people currently competing to be his partner. ‘Why, what’s wrong with them?’

Jess scrunches her nose up a little. ‘Oh, nothing. The majority of them are fine. I mean we’ve got a few in there who we picked just because they’ll make good TV, but don’t worry your head about that, you won’t end up with them. Anyway, what on earth did you do last night cause you look like shit.’ Jess calls for make-up on the walkie talkie attached to her dress strap. ‘Right. Today Jo will ask you how you’ll feeling, and then it’s officially time to kick this baby off!’

The first episode always starts with the contestants meeting the five friends and family Dean has chosen to get to know them on his behalf.

Today his Mom Mary, Dad John, Sam, Charlie and Dean’s other best friend Benny will be meeting the person he’s going to marry.

‘You must be Charlie,’ Jess says. They shake hands. ‘Okay, well we’re on a pretty tight schedule so I’m going to take you and Sam back to the main house now while Jo films this mini part with Dean. Sound good?’ Jess is looking at Charlie, but she gets a soft pinkish tinge to her cheeks when she mentions Sam’s name.

This could be very interesting. ‘I’m going to the car, so say your goodbyes and then meet me outside.’ Jess leaves, bumping a little into Sam since he’s right behind her. There’s some flustered apologising, and then Jess leaves.

‘Sam? Anything you’d like to share with the room?’ Charlie asks.

‘Nope,’ Sam says. He turns to Dean. ‘We’ll be back later this week to check on you. Don’t get too involved in your own head, okay? It’s just six weeks. Over before you know it.’

Except it won’t really be over, Dean thinks, waving bye to them as they leave the house. Because after the filming stops he’ll be married to someone. Might even be living with them.

‘You ready?’ Jo asks. She pats the couch next to her. ‘These will be the positions that we sit in for all the mini interviews. Just like yesterday.’ Jo squeezes his hand on the cushions between them, then turns to look straight at the camera. Dean can see the tiny earpiece he assumed she was wearing yesterday.

They sit like that for a few moments before Jo turns back to him. ‘Sorry, they’re having slight technical difficulties. Should just be a few more minutes.’

‘Don’t worry,’ Dean says. He doesn’t mind sitting around. Has to get used to it anyway.

‘How are you feeling? About the episode airing on Saturday?’ Jo asks. Dean’s been so wrapped up in being here he hasn’t really thought much about the show being broadcast.

‘It’s the big launch episode. Everyone outside will know your name, your face. You and the twenty back at the main house are going to be the most talked about people for the next six weeks, and it all starts on Saturday.’

‘But I won’t really be in the middle of all that,’ Dean says. He’ll be cut off, here on his own.

‘For now. But it’s still a little weird, knowing people will be talking about you on the outside.’ Jo starts chatting away, talking about how Saturdays’ episode will be the first basic introduction one.

The phone lines will open straight afterwards and remain until the last commercial break on the next week’s show.

If viewers want they can go online and watch a whole host of other content, to get to know the contestants better.

‘Okay, now we’re actually ready to go. Okay.’ Jo straightens herself, then turns to look at Dean, her hosting face in place. ‘Dean. As you know the contestants will be meeting your family and friends very soon. How are you feeling about that?’

‘Alright. I trust my family and friends. They’ll suss out the good ones.’ They chat for a few minutes more, and then Jo thanks him and signs off. There’s that five second beat where they grin at the camera, and then her grin drops.

‘Excellent. Well done Dean.’ Jo is standing up, unclipping herself. ‘I’ve got to head over to the main house, conduct the group gathering, keep them in order. The usual.’

‘When are they going to see my photo?’ Dean asks. Him and Charlie spent an hour trying to choose a photo that would represent him best. He likes the one they’ve gone for; him in front of his Baby (a gorgeous 1967 Impala), outside, the wildlife behind him.

‘In about twenty minutes depending on traffic,’ Jo says. ‘Once I get there it’s all systems go. Individually they’ll be led from their rooms to the photo booth.’ The photo booth. It’s a stark white room where the only thing on the wall will be the blown-up photo of Dean. It’s featured on every season since the beginning, one of the only aspects of the show never to change. ‘They tell us what their initial reactions are and then we’ll lead them down to the green room till all of them have seen you. Once that’s all done, we’ll open the doors and let them mingle with the five F&F you’ve chosen.’

‘Okay,’ Dean says nodding. He can get through this. Sitting alone in this cottage, wondering what the twenty are thinking of him.

‘Are you alright? You seem weird,’ Jo says. ‘Remember if there’s anything you need just pick up the phone and dial 8. It’ll connect you to one of the producers. If that doesn’t work you can always speak into the camera. Someone should contact you within thirty seconds of any queries, or concerns you may have.’

Dean glances at the phone, an old fashioned grey thing. It’s even got a wire attaching it to the base, that’s how old it is. It will only dial 8 or connect him to the emergency services.

‘Course I’m fine. Books to read, shows to catch up on.’ Jo gives him a nod.

‘Well, I won’t be seeing you until the next mini interview when you’ll tell us about the first task.’ Each week Dean will be setting the contestants tasks to see how well they’d get on together.  

Jo hesitates, then turns herself around so she’s not facing the camera, her hand covering her microphone, speaking quietly. ‘Look, I’m not really supposed to do this, but you seem nervous. A lot of the previous suitors have had issues with the no information thing. If you promise to be good, apply the rules and not do anything that will make us bad headlines, I’ll cut you a deal. I’ll give you a little information when I see you – nothing big, not about the contestants themselves. But I have an idea, so they might not feel like complete strangers.’

‘You’d do that? Why?’

Jo leans closer to him and whispers, ‘because this show is kind of everything I’ve ever dreamed but they also make me smile for four hours a day, and redo takes several times over and make me dress is stupid flowery dresses which I’d quite happily burn for a pair of jeans and a tank top.’

Dean throws his head back with laughter as Jo leaves, waggling her fingers in a goodbye.

Maybe this won’t be so bad. Six weeks.

Okay.

He can do that.


	4. Chapter Four: Cas

Cas stares at the photo. The first thought he’d had when Jess has left him alone in the room was that it was massive. Did they really need a whole wall to put the photo on?

_Mind you,_ Cas finds himself thinking, _if I looked like that I’d probably put giant photos of myself up too._ There’s a camera blinking at him from the right, and up above him. He feels his cheeks pinking a little, grateful he hasn’t said these words aloud.

The only way he’s going to be able to get through this competition is by not letting people see how he feels. That way it won’t hurt so bad when he gets voted off.

And as much as Cas feels like he’s here for a reason, there’s no doubt that he will get voted off.

Last night the contestants all slopped down to the back garden. By the time Cas got there, there was music playing, and a few had already got together in groups of three or four. Balthazar had been in the middle of it all, of course, in the hot tub, already tipsy. Cas had shaken his head at him, ignoring his offer to get in with him and the others in there. He’d instead got chatting to a few of the other contestants. They all seemed so much more than him; they had jobs and lives, friends and families.

Cas had those things too of course, but not to the same degree. Their jobs were more than researching mythical creatures and then writing books about them. Their families were more than one brother who lived four states away and who they only spoke to once a month.

And their friends were more than Balthazar.

Cas wasn’t complaining. He liked his life, his quiet existence. And it wasn’t like he’d have time for many other people in his life not with Balthazar. He was constantly calling him up, demanding Cas went out drinking with him whenever Cas came home for a few months to write his book. When he was travelling Balthazar would sometimes use his excessive trust fund to come and visit him for a few weeks, until he got bored.

If it wasn’t for Balthazar Cas wouldn’t be here now, staring at a photo of one of the most gorgeous men he thinks he’s ever seen in his life.

Dean Winchester, 34. There’s a little typed note with that information on it, stuck next to the photo.

Dean. It’s a good name.

Cas lets his eyes roam over the photo one last time, standing as silent and still as he’s been since he got in here. Jess, as they’ve all been asked to call her, had told him to say his thoughts out loud, but Cas has never been that kind of person. Most of what he says is run carefully through his brain before release. He’s not going to change just because of this show, even if it will cost him Dean.

His heartbeat picks up a little. Whoever wins gets to marry Dean. They don’t just go on a date, see how things lie. They legally bind themselves together.

He has (what did Meg say) a 5 per cent chance of being that person. Of getting to touch Dean’s dark blond hair, stare into those green eyes. To grab those biceps. Maybe even ride in the car Dean’s posing by, a shiny black contraption, low to the ground.

Is Dean the reason Cas feels like he’s supposed to be here? In any other reality Cas would have laughed when Balthazar suggested they apply to a reality TV show. Especially one where the guy on the other end wouldn’t even know what he’d be getting into.

But he didn’t because the more Balthazar spoke, the more Cas felt his interest pull.

And yes. He can admit that when he first saw this photo of Dean, his heart gave a little lurch, but he’s old enough to know lust when he feels it. There’s no lightning bolt from above, telling him this is true love.

But if he’s not supposed to be here for Dean, then why? If he’s just supposed to watch this guy get married to someone else six weeks from now, what is the point?

There’s a tiny tap on the door behind him, before Jess pokes her head around.

‘Sorry to interpret, but we do need to get things moving along here. Kind of a lot of you to get through,’ she says.

‘My apologies,’ Cas replies, already moving towards the door. ‘I tend to get lost in my own head sometimes.’

‘Don’t we all.’ Cas makes to pass her by, when she places a hand on his arm. ‘Is everything okay? You just seem a little…lost,’ Jess says. She’s tilting her head to the side. ‘I know this can be difficult. Before I got show runner I was a producer here for years. If you need to talk about anything, come find me. I’ve seen everything. And trust me, I mean everything.’

‘Thank you Jess. I’m okay.’ He smiles. If he does get voted off, then so be it. Maybe he’s here because Balthazar is meant to marry Dean.

That idea elicits a full grin from him. Now that would be a fun show to watch.

‘Wow,’ Jess says. ‘I get why the casting company chose you. You do that on camera you’ll be through to week three on looks alone. Don’t get me wrong, the whole dark imposing broody thing you’ve got going on works too, but your smile. Wow.’ Jess’s face changes as she realises what she’s been saying. Her hand comes off his arm, her face flittering between embarrassed and shock. ‘Okay, well talk about stepping over a line.’

‘Don’t worry about it. Compliments are always nice to hear.’ Cas feels bad for Jess. She’s a young woman, and this is big job running the whole competition.

‘Yes, well, let’s just hope the microphones are too far away to pick us up.’ Jess goes to pat him on the arm again, then pulls her arm away just before making contact. ‘I really need to get on.’ Cas nods, starts walking down the stairs. The room with the photo in was on the first floor. He needs to head towards the living room, where once done, all the contestants will be escorted to the garden.

This time to meet Dean’s friends and family for the first time.  ‘Hey, Cas?’ He turns to look back at Jess, who’s still standing in the doorway. ‘I meant what I said. If you had anything you need – no, scratch that, - if there’s anything you want to talk about, even if you think it’s nothing, you just need to get it out, you can talk to me.’

‘I’ll keep that in mind,’ Cas gives her a smile before heading for the living room.

 

**

 

‘What did you think of Deanie then?’ Balthazar bounds over to Cas. It’s the first time they’ve spoken since Cas has entered the room, although quite a few more contestants have come in since then. No one seems to have spent as long staring at the photo as Cas did.

Cas has spent the time waiting talking to Aaron Bass. They’re both interested in old Jewish lore – Aaron because it’s his religion, and Cas because it’s the kind of thing he writes books about. Lores, myths, legends, supernatural beings. Those kind of things.

‘We knew he wasn’t going to be ugly. This is a TV show. Only the best and prettiest for them,’ Cas says.

‘I don’t about that,’ Balthazar murmurs, watching as a couple of other contestants walk past. ‘Oh, come on, I didn’t call them a dog,’ Balthazar says in response to Cas’s stoic face. ‘And I’d still sleep with all of them.’

‘Which makes it all better and not insulting at all,’ Cas says.

‘Who’s pissed in your cornflakes?’ Balthazar asks. He looks at Cas’s face, at his index finger on his good hand which keeps involuntarily twitching. ‘Don’t tell me you’re actually nervous about meeting the family? Worried if you mess this up they won’t invite you and Deanie home for Christmas?’

‘Balthazar,’ Cas warns, but weirdly, the remark does make Cas feel better. He’s trying to make a good impression, yes, but in the same way he would when meeting anybody new. Or when knowing every single facial expression and odd comment will be broadcast to millions of people.   

But it’s not a meet the parent’s situation. He’s not hoping to get invites to birthdays and Christmases, to be the topic of conversation over the dinner table tonight. He might not even like these people. There’s no point getting so up in his head about this, not when there’s so many more obstacles to overcome.

‘Is this a private conversation or can anyone join?’ Meg Masters asks them. She’s just sauntered through the doorway and headed their way.

If Meg’s here, nearly everyone has seen Dean’s photo by now. Cas wonders what they thought about, but asking them seems a little personal. It should be the hot topic of the room, but Cas has noticed everyone seems to be avoiding it.

He guesses they’ll all waiting until the show airs. They’re allowed to watch it. Everyone will find out everything then.

‘For you darling we’re willing to make an exception,’ Balthazar says. ‘Maybe you’ll answer me. What did you think of the man we’re all competing for?’ Balthazar has always run a little differently to most.

Meg shrugs, glossy brown hair falling over her shoulder. ‘He’s not my type.’

‘I hope you didn’t say that in there,’ Cas says. Maybe he should have said something – not much. Just to let the public know that he didn’t find Dean unattractive. He didn’t have to say just how unattractive he found him.

‘Sure did. Everyone loves a bit of drama. What could be more dramatic than pairing two wildly different people together?’ Meg asks.

‘What makes you think you and Dean would be wildly different?’ Cas asks. They’ve seen one photo.

‘Sometimes you just get a vibe off people. I know we haven’t technically met, but I could tell. He seems a little sure of himself. A little cocky – you know the sort,’ Meg gestures to Balthazar. ‘You never get that?’ Cas shakes his head. There’s never been anyone who he’s taken an instant disliking to. ‘There are three people in this room who I’m positive I’d hate,’ Meg says. Cas looks around, mentally filling the still absent ones in. Sure, there are a couple of guys he finds creepy – Dick Roman, Gordon Walker, Nick Siren. And Michael Vess makes him a little uneasy. He wouldn’t say that he’d never get on with any of them though.

He turns his head a little as he notices Dick Roman watching him. There’s a woman standing against the wall, alone. She’s stirring a drink in a plastic cup, plaited hair hanging over her shoulder. They make eye contact, and Cas beckons her over. If it wasn’t for him already knowing Balthazar he’d be in the exact same position as her right now.

‘Dorothy Gale, isn’t it?’ Cas asks she gets nearer. ‘Like the _Wizard of Oz,’_ they both say at the same time.

‘I get that every time people find out my name,’ Dorothy says. ‘I thought I hated it, but turns out I judge them when they don’t recognize my name, so apparently I’m unhappy either way.’ Cas laughs.

‘I get ‘oh that’s unusual, where did it come from?’’ Cas says. He waits.

‘Cas isn’t unusual,’ Dorothy says.

‘No but Castiel is.’

‘Oh. And where did that come from?’ Dorothy asks.

‘It’s one of the lesser known angels,’ he explains. ‘Dad was pretty into the bible. My brother’s called Gabriel.’

‘Who at least people have heard of,’ Balthazar says, jumping back into the conversation. ‘I’m in the same boat as Cassie here. My father liked what his parents had done, and decided to do the same for me.’ The two women raise their eyebrows. Here it comes. The moment everyone finds out him and Balthazar knew each other before this. You’re supposed to enter this contest alone, not with your best friend.

But the person casting for this season decided that Balthazar was too much of a ratings viewer to not put him on the show.

Luckily the girls don’t seem to think there’s an issue with it. They start talking about their friends back home, Meg scaring them all a little with details about the motorbike gang she hangs out with.

‘Alright ladies and gents!’ Jess is at the door. Everyone clams up as they realise what this means. ‘Usually in a potential meet-the-parent’s situation you’re told to do your best, but that would make for a pretty boring show. I don’t mean be on your worst behaviour, it’s still a family show, but if a few of you wanted to ask a couple of awkward questions, or get a little drunk we’re not going to discourage that either.’ She’s looking at Balthazar.

‘We can get drunk?’ shouts out Crowley.

‘Yep, there’s a fully stocked bar out there for you all. You ready?’ Cas tugs at the blue shirt he’s wearing. He’s knows it’s a little warm to be wearing a shirt and trousers, but he’s never really been a t-shirt and shorts kind of guy, unlike some of the others here. ‘Excellent. Let’s go.’


	5. Chapter Five: Cas

‘Welcome to the first friend & family meeting here on _The One,’_ the host of the show, Jo Harvelle smiles into the camera directly in front of her. The contestants are in a line behind her, while Dean’s five chosen F&F stand at the edge of the garden.

This is where they hold all the big events, Cas has been told. It’s the biggest space in the house, and easy to get anything they might need out here, rearrange the set a little. At the moment it’s your typical garden scene, except ten times bigger. Lush green grass, surrounded by purple crazy paving leading to the patio. White wicker furniture that looks brand new has been placed in the best positions for camera angels – Cas heard the set designers fighting about where the garden swing should be last night. His room is on the third floor, looking over the garden. It’s a small room, just enough for a bed and a chest of drawers but Balthazar’s in the room next door, so it’s not all bad. And it’s a deep yellow colour which reminds Cas of bees. ‘Today the twenty contestants will be meeting Dean’s mother Mary,’ Jo gestures to a small blonde woman in a flannel shirt and jeans. She gives a wave to the camera facing her. ‘Dean’s Dad John.’ A tall thick built man with a mop of dark hair nods at the camera. Cas can tell from the way he’s standing he’s an army man. Him and Michael will have a lot in common. They actually look a little similar, although Michael is still rigid all the time, whereas John seems to have relaxed from years spent away from the army.

Cas was only in the army for one tour before he got discharged. And unlike many who joined, it wasn’t a calling for him. After leaving medical school, he didn’t know where he wanted to end up. He can’t even remember what led to him joining.

‘Dean’s brother, Sam,’ Jo says. A really tall man, with longish brown hair gives a friendly wave to the camera, and Cas notices that Jess is staring at Sam. Everyone else is now too of course, but the way Jess gives a start makes Cas think she’s been staring a little longer than them. ‘And Dean’s best friends Charlie and Benny.’ A red-haired woman wearing a _Game of Thrones_ T-shirt and a man with a beard wearing a flat cap wave and nod at the camera.

‘Dammit,’ Cas hears next to him. He looks to his left where Dorothy is standing. She’s started fiddling with the end of her plait. He gives her a questioning look, but she shakes her head quickly and he drops it. They’re not the ones standing right behind Jo, so hopefully nobody will pick up on it. ‘The contestants will get a chance to mingle with Dean’s F&F, getting to know all about the man they’re here competing for.’ Cas’s stomach lurches. ‘We’ll be picking a few of them up for interviews along the way which will be uploaded to the website if you’d like to watch. Now, let’s get this party started!’ Jo claps her hands, and like magic, waiters appear from the door of the house carrying platters of finger food and trays of drinks. There are jugs filled with sparking lemonade, the lemon slices floating along the top, ice clunking against the side. Pitchers of iced tea, rectangle shaped sandwiches, and tiny little cakes.

The waiters set the plates down, and everyone pauses until there’s a shout of ‘cut!’ Then everyone moves, waiters melting back into the house, Jo being led over to a little seating area. She sits a dark sofa covered in jewel coloured cushions. There are gauzy sheets of material falling around the area, designed to keep the sun out, and create a cosy feeling. Like you’re chatting to your friends at the bar.

‘Mingle, people! Come on we can’t get shots of you chatting if you don’t talk to each other!’ Jess yells at them. Nobody else has moved, not sure of what to do. When still nothing happens, Jess grabs Dean’s parents and shouts a few names out. ‘Gordon! Anna! Lydia! Nick! Come and speak to Mary right over here.’ She places Mary by a table full of food, pulling out a few chairs, and telling the ones who walk over to her where to sit. ‘Bela, Balthazar, Meg and Robin, you come speak to John. Here, by the pool.’

‘Wish me luck,’ Balthazar says, walking away from Cas. There’s already a drink in his hand.

Benny is set up on another table of food with Pete Smith. He makes his living as a lookalike for a TV character called _Dr. Sexy._ Cas doesn’t really know the show but he has been informed by everyone else here that Pete is a very good look alike.

Cas thinks he takes it all a bit seriously. He insists on them calling him Dr. Sexy and is wearing all pale green, Cas assumes to look like scrubs.

With Benny and Pete are Michael, Lisa, Garth (the youngest in the contest, newly qualified dentist), and Crowley.

‘Charlie and Sam, come meet everybody else,’ Jess says. She manhandles them till they’re standing in a sort of semi-circle, Cas pressed up next to Dorothy and Dick. There are a few others he hasn’t really spoken to and he has to quickly run through what he knows about them in his head; Cassie Robinson, driver of monster trucks. Carmen (something or other. Cas doesn’t remember her last name), who’s a model. Rhonda Hurley who’s doing the rounds on reality TV as a job. Aarons next to her, looking scared by this fast-moving process.

‘Well, this isn’t unbearable awkward,’ Charlie says. A few around the group laugh a little.

‘This whole thing is a little awkward,’ Dorothy mumbles. Not quietly enough. Everyone turns to look at her. ‘Don’t lie, and tell me this is the easiest thing you’ve done. It’s been one day and I’m already tired of cameras in my face. Not to mention what I could be doing out there in the real world. I spent three hours this morning in that green room.’ Dorothy finishes her rant as a camera pulls up to their group.

‘Why apply if you thought this was going to be a waste of time?’ Rhonda asks. ‘Personally, I find this whole thing exciting. I just love meeting new people, free drinks, and there’s a hot guy waiting at the end of it. What’s not to like?’ She winks at the camera, raising her drink – seriously were people just handing them out down the other end of the line earlier?

Sam laughs.

‘You know you remind me of Dean, a little. He applied to a weird video dating agency when he was a teenager and his exact words were ‘I am an Aquarius. I enjoy sunsets, long walks on the beach and frisky women.’ He wasn’t out then.’ There’s a pause and then everyone bar Dorothy and Cas launch into how they just love sunsets and walks on the beach too, isn’t that freaky? They both take a step back, letting the group move into their spaces.

‘Wanna go see if we can infiltrate one of the other groups?’ Cas asks.  

‘What if it messes up their shots? Jess will not be happy.’

‘We are supposed to mingle.’ They start walking over the crazy paving, letting the sounds float over them. The contestants seem to be doing a lot of talking, but as Cas looks around he notices that not everyone is having a great time. Mary’s nodding slightly but she seems slightly overwhelmed. John is looking around like he’d rather be anywhere else, and Benny appears to have checked out of his conversation completely.

‘Hey, wait up!’ The shout stops them in their tracks, and they both freeze, fearing Jess’s wrath. But it’s not Jess jogging towards them, it’s Charlie, red hair flying behind her. ‘I think you guys had the right idea. It’s a lot of people, huh?’ She shakes her head.

‘You should try living with them,’ Dorothy says. ‘There was party last night. Some were up till 4am, which you know sucks if the bedroom they’ve stuck you in is on the first floor and you’re a light sleeper who needs her beauty sleep.’

‘Oh, please you don’t need beauty sleep, that would just be putting sprinkles on a doughnut.’ There’s a weird little pause after that comment, and Cas looks around the garden again.  

‘Thanks, I guess.’ Dorothy fiddles with her plait. ‘About what I said earlier. I do want to be here. I’m just not a big fan of wasting time and I guess I didn’t realise how much waiting around this would consist of.’

‘Oh, hey I totally get it. I mean, don’t get me wrong I am also a big fan of sitting down for hours and playing video games which some people might consider wasting time but personally I consider a skill. I was literally on level 42 of _Yellow Brick Road 3_ at 4am the day before yesterday,’ Charlie says.  

‘Level 42? That game only came out a week ago,’ Dorothy says.

‘Oh, did I not mention I rock at videogames? Yeah, I’m like the Queen of _YBR_.’ Dorothy shrugs.

‘Unfortunately, we’re going to have to downgrade you to Princess. ‘Cause I’m already on level 56.’ Dorothy raises one eyebrow and even Cas can feel the shots fired.

‘No. Frigging. Way. Have you defeated your evil self? I keep thinking I’ve got her and then a flying monkey jumps out and kills me.’

‘Sorry to interrupt,’ Cas says. ‘What’s _Yellow Brick Road 3?’_ Both women turn to look at him like he’s crazy.

‘Uh, it’s like the number 7 video game in the world. You play as yourself going through Oz and defeating all evil to become ruler? There are like 100 levels on each game and you have to complete quests and kill flying monkeys and its awesome?’ Charlie explains.

‘I’m not much of a video game person,’ Cas says. Charlie gives him a weird look and he remembers he’s supposed to be selling himself here. What if Dean spends hours a week playing video games?

Cas could play for a couple of hours, but after that they just give him headaches. Balthazar let him play _Grand Theft Auto_ once and all he did was drive around in the crappiest car he could steal and stop at red lights.

‘Hey,’ Charlie says, hitting Dorothy gently with the back of her hand. ‘You’re called Dorothy. How weird is that?’

‘If that freaks you out wait till you hear my last name.’

‘Unless it’s flying monkey or Gale I don’t think we’re going to have a problem.’ Cas just waits. ‘No. Frigging. Way. You’re Dorothy Gale? This is awesome. I’d like to be named after a fictional character. That would be so awesome. Do you just like cosplay as her every year? I totally would.’

‘No, I like to mix my costumes up a little.’ Cas is just about to make his excuses and leave, when Sam comes up to them.

‘Thanks for abandoning ship, Charlie.’

‘What? I was scared they were going to eat me alive. Did you see Dick? Creepy, I’m telling you.’

‘You left me to fend for myself.’

‘Sometimes it’s every woman for themselves.’

‘Whatever. Jess says we have to mix things up a little.’ Sam nods to where the groups are now more spread out. John is chatting to Michael and a few of the other guys, while Benny has a group of women around him, listing to what appears to be a story.

‘Ah, yes, how is the lovely Jess?’ Charlie says. Sam ignores her.

‘Come on. We need to tell Dean we did a good job vetting everyone. Since that’s all we can tell him.’ Sam nods over to where a small group of contestants have come together. ‘We’ll check back later alright?’ His gaze lingers on Cas for a second. ‘You guys should go say hey to our Mom.’

The group splits up, Dorothy and Cas heading for Mary. As they approach, she turns to them a pleading look in her eye.

‘Hey, please tell me you two are normal.’

‘Well that depends on your definition of normal,’ Cas says. Dorothy hides a smile behind her hand.

‘Someone who doesn’t spend ten minutes telling me they’re glad my son is handsome because it will make the wedding night so much easier, or someone who tells me that they feel a connection to him already and can’t wait to be my son in law. Or, asking me questions about my family history because applying for TV shows to meet someone is easier and less expensive than a sperm donor.’

‘Anna, Nick and Lydia?’ Dorothy asks. She’s spent a lot of time since she’s been here standing around walls, listening to everyone. It’s amazing what people are letting slip.

‘Bingo.’

‘It’s a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Winchester. I’m Dorothy and this is Cas,’ Dorothy says.

‘Call me Mary,’ Mary says. ‘It’s good to meet you both.’ She pushes some hair off her face. ‘I’m already overwhelmed and it’s been less than an hour. I really don’t know how you lot are going to cope.’

‘It’s not so bad. There are a couple of nice, normal people,’ Dorothy says. Cas is happy to let her carry the conversation once again. He’s aware of the cameras all over the place, even the ones that are nowhere near them. The zoom feature can be your worst nightmare. ‘Your husband seems to be enjoying himself.’ Dorothy nods over to where John is now holding at least ten of the contestant’s attention. Michael is standing beside him, grinning, while the women are looking around at each other, their eyes bright.

‘He likes to be the centre of attention,’ Mary says, turning her back on John. There’s a silence. Dorothy doesn’t appear to paying attention to the conversation any more.

‘How’re you feeling about this whole experience? I don’t imagine many mothers want their son marrying someone he’s never met,’ Cas says. It’s the first thing that pops into his head. He feels a little discomfort as Mary narrows her eyes to stare at him, but he doesn’t think it’s because she’s judging him. More like giving his question some thought.

‘Mother’s rarely get what they want for their children. Not the superficial things anyway. As long as Dean is happy, I don’t mind how he achieves it. And he seemed really excited about coming on this show. Am I expecting him to meet his true love here?’ She shrugs. ‘No. Could he find someone he really likes here?’ Her eyes linger on Lisa, on Carmen. Dean has a type it seems. ‘There’s a possibility.’

They spend some more time talking to Mary before everyone’s attention is diverted to Balthazar. He’s decided to drop the whole getting to know Dean’s F&F and goes for a running jump into the pool, splashing all the woman sitting at John’s feet. There’s a commotion, and shrieks, and a few more – Carmen who strips off her top, Cassie, Bela and Garth – all dive in after him.

Somehow the group splits completely and Cas finds himself separate from Dorothy. She’s back talking to Charlie, on the edge of the garden, a smile on her face.

Cas walks in the opposite direction, ignoring Balthazar in the pool, who’s trying to wave him over. No, thank you.

He’s getting himself a drink at one of the tables – just a lemonade. Even though he’s got a pretty high tolerance for alcohol he’s not really a big drinker. Sam and Aaron are chatting away near him, and Cas is more interested in watching a bumblebee in the flowers next to them when a name catches his attention.

‘Yeah, James Novak. His books are just the best if you want to know about anything other worldly. His latest one, about pagan god and goddesses? Fascinating,’ Sam is saying.

Jess sidles up next to Cas. ‘I think this is your moment,’ she says, nodding to Sam and Aaron. She waves a camera over.

‘Do I have a choice?’ he asks.

‘I’m not going to frog march you over and demand you talk to them no. I might gently suggest that it would be good for you to get in with Sam and he seems to have provided you a pretty good opening.’

‘Listening to Sam’s conversation were you?’ Cas mutters. Jess shoots him what he assumes is supposed to be a dark look but she’s too soft to really be able to pull it off.

‘Now I’m going to force you to go over there. Please? It’s been going really well so far with Balthazar’s stunt and Crowley flirting with Mary but we need a bit more.’ Jess nudges him with her elbow. ‘If you don’t go quick, they’ll have moved on to something else.’ Cas doubts it. Sam and Aaron show no signs of stopping. Sam is now explaining James Novak’s back catalogue in full. Aaron’s read a few, but Sam gets the new one every time it comes out. ‘If you don’t tell them I will,’ Jess says, and Cas finally moves his feet, marching towards Aaron and Sam. They see him coming and Sam smiles at him, turning to include him in the conversation.

Cas is more focused on the camera right next to him than on the conversation he’s about to have.

‘Sorry for interrupting, but I overheard your conversation,’ he says.

‘Oh, you’re into the supernatural world too?’ Sam asks.

‘Yeah, he is. We’ve had like four conversations about it, and he’s got some really interesting facts,’ Aaron says. ‘Hey, have you read any of James Novak work? Sam’s been raving about him for the last ten minutes.’

‘You could say that,’ Cas murmurs, hoping to leave it at that. But he can feel Jess’s gaze on him and knows if he doesn’t say anything she’ll come marching over. And she’ll be pissed because if the conversation doesn’t flow naturally, and she steps in they’ll have to cut and then re-set the shot up for another take. ‘Did you know James Novak is a pen name?’

‘Yeah, but apart from the publishers no one seems to know what his real name is. He’s got a small following on the internet, but most people just assume it’s a lot of different people writing about different creatures,’ Sam says. ‘I don’t think so. His writing style is too much alike even for it to just be a really good ghost writer. Speaking of, did you read his book on serial killer spirits? It was so cool, I actually dragged Dean to some of those places on his last holiday so we could look around, feel the creepiness for ourselves.’

‘Thank you,’ Cas says. He waits as Sam and Aaron frown at him and then Sam’s eyes widen comically as the parts click into place.

‘Wait. Are you saying that you’re James Novak writer of the _Supernatural Information_ book series?’

‘I am.’

‘Oh my god. It’s an honour to meet you,’ Sam says.

‘Thank you,’ Cas repeats. His author life isn’t a secret, but writing under a pen name means the average person on the street doesn’t recognise him. He’s not used to this reaction.

_Supernatural Information_ has thirteen books currently, although Cas has a planned trip to Peru to research Pishtacos early next year for the fourteenth. ‘I’m glad you like them.’ He knows the books are well-known – he’s got the paycheques to prove it – but Sam is looking at him like he’s one of the creatures he writes about.

‘There are so many questions I want to ask you right now, but I don’t think my brain is working. Can I ask why the pen name?’ Sam asks. Aaron is looking around the garden, not as interested now the conversation has turned to the writer not the writing.

‘My agent thought Castiel Shurley was too weird a name. He wasn’t sure the books were going to sell at first.’

‘Wow. Sorry, this is like all my Christmases have come at once,’ Sam says. Cas smiles a little. It’s nice to be on the end of such unabashed admiration. ‘Okay, well I really want to speak to you more, and like talk your ear off. I have a bit of a thing for well-known serial killers and there are some places you’ve been to that I just haven’t got round to – anyway, I’m being waved over, probably to rescue my parents. I need to go and do that. It’s an honour to meet you. Wow.’ Sam shakes Cas’s hand, and then heads over to his parents. Aaron has gone too, off to join the ever-growing party in the pool which now includes Charlie and Dorothy. They’re avoiding looking at each other, and Cas hopes that means they haven’t had an argument. He knows most of it is a public vote but winning the favour of the F&F can – according to some of the other contestants – make or break it for a person.

‘Well, don’t you think you’re clever,’ a voice says behind Cas. Gordon is standing there, a drink in his hand, a robe tied around his waist, water still dripping on the grass from his wet swimming shorts.

‘Excuse me?’ Cas says.

‘Getting into Dean’s brothers head. You must’ve been dancing with glee when you heard him mention those crappy books you write.’ Cas tilts his head to the side. ‘It’s not going to work. Being Sam’s favourite won’t save you from the first vote off.’

‘Alright,’ Cas says. He doesn’t know what else to do. He didn’t know Sam liked his books, and it wasn’t like he took the opportunity to stand out. Jess pushed him into it, and what, was he just not supposed to tell them when Sam and Aaron were talking about it a couple of yards away?

‘Look, everyone knows why you’re in this contest, and I understand, it sucks. If I were you, I’d be doing everything and anything I could to get my face in the show too. But give it a rest, yeah? There’s being friendly and then there’s just trying too hard. Which way do you think you’re currently hitting?’ With that, Gordon turns and stalks off.

Cas frowns.

What did he mean, why Cas was in this contest?


	6. Chapter Six: Dean & Cas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter features POV from both Dean & Cas. I believe it's the only chapter that will be split like this. From here on every chapter will just be one or the other of them. 
> 
> Also; warning for this chapter. (and spoilers) There is a conversation between two characters about a deceased parent and their feelings on homosexuality and why this character hasn't come out. Thought I'd put the note up here, just in case. 
> 
> I hope you're enjoying this fic, it was really fun to write. :)

‘How was it?’ Dean practically pounces on Charlie and Sam as they enter the cabin. It’s been three days since they met the contestants, but Dean hasn’t seen them since then. He knows his F&F had to have a filmed dinner where they discussed the ones they’d spoken to and what they thought of them.

‘Let us get our coats off and sit down,’ Charlie says. She gives him an odd look. ‘Are you okay? You seem a bit hyped up.’ Dean goes back to the living room, slumping down onto the sofa. There’s a half-drunk bottle of beer on the side table next to him. A blanket that he’d thrown off as soon as he heard them coming through the door, which he now shoves down behind the couch.

‘I haven’t spoken to another person in two days,’ Dean calls to them. Charlie and Sam come and sit on the couch next to him.

‘You’ve got six weeks of this. Are you going to be able to handle it?’ Sam says. He’s got that concerned look on his face. ‘Two days is nothing. How are you going to handle when I’ve got to go back to Kansas for the week?’ Dean nods at Charlie, and then the beer.

‘Her and that. I’ll get used to it, and settle into a pattern.’ Dean can’t wait any longer. ‘Now can you tell me what it was like?’

‘We’ve been briefed pretty heavily on what we’re allowed to share,’ Charlie says. ‘We can’t give you any details of the contestants. Or what we talked about. I’m not really sure what we can share with you.’

Dean sits back, deflated. He’s been looking forward to their visit all week – they’re staying with him till tomorrow night, when the first episode airs.

Then everyone he knows – and the person he’s marrying who he doesn’t – will sit down to watch it, except him. He’ll be stuck here in this cabin, doing nothing. Even _Dr. Sexy_ hasn’t been doing it for him the past couple of days.

Charlie and Sam launch into a different topic of conversation – some singer who’s dating the lead in a TV sitcom even though he only got married six months ago – and Dean lets it wash over him.

At least there are people here. And once they go, he’ll only have Saturday night and Sunday to get through before Jo’s back to ask him to film a short for the contestants first task.

Which at least gives him an idea for how to spend his Sunday.

They spend a couple of hours talking – Dean gets sucked into a conversation about their Dad’s new car which is making weird noises, and John can’t figure out what’s wrong with it – before they go to bed.

Just before Dean’s about to leave the living room, he turns to them.

‘Okay, I know it’s difficult to say anything without getting into trouble but answer me this; did you see anyone that you think I would actually be compatible with? That you could see me marrying and staying married too?’

Charlie and Sam share a look and then smiles break out on their faces.

‘Honestly Dean? Yeah, a few of them.’

 

**

 

Saturday evening seems to come around too fast for Cas. He assumed that time would pass at (what felt like anyway) a slightly slower rate. Jess, however isn’t letting them rest for a moment. They’ve had to show the people from wardrobe everything they bought with them. Get rid of it if it wasn’t deemed acceptable enough, and then spend an afternoon trying things on to replenish their clothes. She’s had them get together in little groups and sent them on trips ‘to bond’. They’ve each had to sit through a session with a therapist, to prepare themselves for how crazy the next few weeks are going to be. They’re not allowed out of the main house once the episode airs, unless for it’s an emergency, so they won’t have to deal with the full force of the public, but they like to get them ready, for when they get voted off.

Cas has been falling into a deep sleep each night, waking up to Jess rapping on his door. She likes to get everyone up herself, check in on them for the day. Sometimes that’s been the only chance they get to see her.

This evening the very first episode of season 11 of _The One_ will air. People all over the country are right now tweeting about how excited they are that it’s back (and some about how they’re boycotting it this series, although no one sees fit to mention this to the contestants).

The contestants themselves have been taken to the garden. There are cushions and blankets laid out all over the floor, and a giant TV screen in the middle of the lawn, the sky a perfect backdrop behind it.

They won’t be filmed watching the episode, and after a week of cameras everywhere he goes – to put pieces up on the website – Cas is grateful for the small respite. He settles next to Balthazar and Dorothy at the back of the group.  

‘Hey. Are you okay?’ he whispers to Dorothy. He hasn’t seen her all week, and she seems a little low now.

‘Yeah,’ she says back. She bites her lip, looks around. Opens her mouth to say something, then closes it again. ‘Just tired. It’s been an exhausting week.’ There’s something she’s not telling him, but Cas doesn’t know her that well, and doesn’t want to push. If she wanted to share, she would.

Instead he gives her hand a squeeze then turns his attention to the big screen that’s just flashed with the opening titles of _The One._ There’s shots of the houses and Jo. Silhouettes appear along the bottom – the contestants won’t be filled in till next weeks’ credits.

Jo opens the show, sitting next to last years’ suitor. They talk about her marriage and the woman spends a lot of time rolling her eyes and insulting her ex-husband. The talk with the ex-husband is even shorter – he greets Jo, tells them it was the worst thing he ever did, and then shuts the door in the camera’s face.

There’s a break, and when they come back, Jo is sitting on a sofa, smiling at the camera. She introduces the show to the nation, and then says the magic words ‘Dean Winchester.’ The camera pulls back to reveal the face the Cas may or may not be having dreams about and there’s a cheering in the garden, some of them even applauding. There’s a two-minute video showing Dean at home, with his friends. In his firefighter uniform which gets a huge cheer from the contestants. Driving his car, which he calls ‘Baby’ down the street at night, singing along to a classic rock song.  

Jo and Dean start speaking and Cas feels a jolt in his stomach at Dean’s low voice. He’s only ever been this attracted to one other person in his lifetime, his old accountant Hannah. They had a short fling and then the lust fizzled out. She quit, he hired someone else and nothing more was said.

Cas doesn’t want to end up like that couple from last season. Maybe it’s better if Dean marries someone who couldn’t possibly end up hating him. Someone like Lisa, or Anna.

Maybe even Meg, because at least everyone would expect them not to be together next year.

‘I hate to boast but I really do look fantastic on camera,’ Balthazar whispers next to Cas. _The One_ is now showing quick shots of all the contestants, while a few soundbites play behind them.

There’s another break and then the contestants are meeting Jo. Cas doesn’t cheer when he appears, even though everyone else has. Balthazar gives him a small clap, but stops when he sees Cas glaring at him. ‘You don’t look too bad yourself. If you weren’t like my brother,’ Balthazar says.

There’s a five-minute segment where they show the contestants seeing Dean’s photo. Cas is glad he’s not the only one who says nothing. Dorothy doesn’t either, nor Lisa. A few people let out ‘oh wow’ and both Balthazar and Crowley make some kind of dirty joke that just toes the line. Garth wolf whistles when he sees it, and a couple of the woman let a grin spread over their faces, Rhonda saying ‘oh yes, he’ll do.’

They move on after that, straight into the F&F meeting. There’s a lot of time with Michael and John talking about the army, Charlie and Dorothy laughing about some TV series that no one else has heard of, Mary chatting away to a few of the women.

Dorothy is staring at the grass, twisting stands around her fingers, and pulling the blades loose. Cas lays a hand on her knee, and although she jumps, she also flashes him a quick smile.

‘Are you sure everything’s okay?’ Cas says. ‘Do I need to get Jess?’ Dorothy shakes her head. She looks around, then brings her mouth closer to Cas’s ear, so Balthazar won’t hear, although he’s so engrossed in watching himself dive in the pool, he wouldn’t notice anything short of somebody rugby tackling him to the ground right now.

‘There’s something I haven’t told anyone. I thought I could hide it, but something happened this week which is making me question things. It’s difficult for me, and I’m having a hard time. You can’t tell anyone though, okay, not Jess. Certainly not Jess.’ Dorothy looks at Cas, all big eyes and he nods.

‘Okay. But if it ever gets too much, please come and talk to me okay? Whatever it is, I won’t judge. I won’t even talk if you just need to get it off your chest.’

‘Thank you. I think I’m just going to wait it out though. It’s not like I’m going to win this.’ Cas turns his attention back to the screen, as Dorothy has closed her eyes. His eyes seek her out on the screen, and there she is, in the background, still with Charlie.

Charlie goes to move a hair from her face, and Dorothy stills. It’s over in about a second, and then they’re both making their way to the pool, avoiding each other’s eye.

He doesn’t think anyone else will have noticed, since Crowley was in the centre of the screen, flirting shamelessly with Mary. There was nothing even really to see.

Except that Cas was with them when they met, and has just heard Dorothy’s confession. He’s not sure why it’s such a big deal – he assumed some of the woman here were bisexual, and after her speech in the green room before the first filming it wouldn’t have been a surprise to learn that Dorothy was.

But just because Cas may have figured it out, doesn’t mean that anyone else knows.

He gives Dorothy’s hand another squeeze, and then his attention is taken by the screen. It’s him approaching Sam and Aaron. Telling them he’s James Novak and Sam gushing.

A few people in the garden are throwing him dirty looks, but Balthazar is clapping him on the back. Meg is tilting her head at him and raising her eyebrows which he assumes is her approval, and Lisa and a few others are smiling at him. They’ve all had moments too – Meg telling John that she doesn’t personally think Dean is that good looking and she doesn’t understand why everyone is losing their mind over him. Lisa talking to Mary and Sam about her son, and them all laughing as it turns out Ben and Dean have the same taste in music.

There’s another ad break and when it comes back it’s the final part. Dean’s F&F are sitting around a dinner table in a hotel garden.

‘Look, I understand why you like Michael, but I just don’t think him and Dean would gel well together,’ Sam is saying. ‘There were people there I spoke to too, and who I liked, but picturing them with Dean feels like putting a square peg in a round hole. We have to remember this is for Dean, not us.’

Out in the garden, Gordon smirks at Cas.

‘Charlie? Who did you like?’ Sam asks. Charlie looks up from where she’s been playing with her food.

Next to him Dorothy has tensed, but she’s now watching the screen avidly, even though the expression on her face says she’d like to do nothing more than to look away.

‘Huh? Who did I like?’ Charlie repeats.

‘Yeah. For Dean.’

‘Right, for Dean. Well, there was Pete. Dean would love him on looks alone. Balthazar and Dean seem like they’d be hilarious together. Oh, and Cas. Cas seems great. I think Dean would really like him.’

‘Which one was Cas again?’ John asks.

‘The one with the dark hair,’ Benny answers. ‘I don’t know, I can’t really see Dean and Cas myself.’

‘Oh him. No, I didn’t like him either,’ John says.

‘You two didn’t even speak to him,’ Sam protests. ‘Cas is awesome, but I may be slightly biased. Mom, what did you think. You spoke to him, didn’t you?’

‘Yeah, he seemed alright. Normal,’ Mary says and she smiles. Cas knows it’s only because of what she first said to him, but it makes it look as if it’s because she likes him. ‘And Dorothy. She seems cool. She could handle Dean, call him out when he’s in one of his moods.’

‘So could Cas, and Crowley and about half a dozen others,’ Sam says. ‘But yeah. I liked Dorothy too, and Dean’s always had a thing for dark hair.’

The blonde people in the garden look around at each other. Anna Milton, the red-head looks like she’s about to cry.

‘What did you think of her Charlie? You talked to her more than all of us,’ Mary asks. Charlie smiles, but it’s a bit tense looking.

‘Yeah. Yeah, Dorothy seemed great. I really don’t like Dick though, and I don’t think Dean will either. He gives me the creepies.’ Charlie shudders, and the rest of the table nod in agreement.

‘Well, I guess it doesn’t matter what we think,’ Benny says, the words drawling in his Southern accent. ‘We only get one vote off each. Guess we’ll have to wait and see who’s left.’

With that the screen fades back to Jo, standing in front of the house.

‘That brings us to the end of episode one of _The One_ folks. Phone lines are now open so you can vote to keep your favourite in the running to marry Dean. Join us for our first public vote off next week, where five contestants will be let go. Don’t forget there’s more content online. I’ll see you next week, and keep hunting for _The One!’_ Jo spreads her arms out, and then the credits roll, photos of the contestants next to their phone numbers.

The screen goes black.

No one in the garden moves. There’s a lot to process, and then suddenly it’s like everyone starts talking at once.

‘I didn’t get any screen time. Are you kidding? Like they literally showed me once, when I took off my top to get in the pool,’ Carmen says.

‘Like I care what some poor family from some backwards town thinks,’ Dick is saying.

‘It wouldn’t be that hard to get a bottle of hair-dye, right? I’m sure Jess would get me some,’ Anna says.

Cas stands, extending a hand to Dorothy. She lets herself be pulled up, and they turn, back to the house.

‘Aren’t you staying to dissect it?’ Balthazar asks. Cas shakes his head. He processes stuff better on his own. And there’s a lot to process, a lot to think about. Benny and John don’t like him, but Sam, Mary and Charlie do. And he did get a fair bit of screen time.

‘Alright. But we’ll talk tomorrow okay? Before everything gets mad again,’ Balthazar says. He claps Cas on the shoulder, before ambling up to the biggest group, his laughter ringing out after a few moments.

Cas really doesn’t know how he’d be able to cope without Balthazar. He’s always been there for him; when Cas’s Dad left when he was five, and his brother, Gabe nine. Just a note on the kitchen counter about how he couldn’t do it anymore, and he had to go.

His mother, Becky had never been the same after that. Cas spent more time in Balthazar’s house than he did his own, (at least until Balthazar was sent to boarding school in England for his high school years), and when his mother wasn’t at the house when Cas returned from his first year in medical school to another dusty note on the kitchen table, he wasn’t as surprised as he felt he should’ve been.

Cas walks Dorothy to her room. They stand outside for a while, Cas leaning against the wall opposite. All the women are on the first floor, the men on the second. Maybe they were worried about Balthazar’s orgy happening.

‘Are you okay? Feeling any better?’ Cas asks. Dorothy nods.

‘I’m starting to get that pathetic feeling creeping in on me now. Like I was pathetic for feeling like that you know? I hate feeling weak.’

‘Can I ask? What were you expecting?’ Dorothy stares at him.

‘I was attracted to Charlie.’ She breathes deeply. ‘I’ve always been attracted to women but my Dad. He wasn’t liberal, not in the slightest. I applied for this show when he was still alive, just to look like I was doing something, instead of actively not dating men.’

‘Your mother?’ Cas asks.

‘She looks surprised every time I tell her I’m going out with a man. Granted, I haven’t for years. I don’t think she’s happy about it, but I think she resigned herself to it a long time ago.’ Dorothy shakes her head. ‘I don’t just think I can come out, Cas. Even saying this to you is making me feel sick. What would my Dad say?’

It’s hard to know what to do. Cas doesn’t have much experience of Dads. ‘I feel like he’d still be disappointed in me, and I don’t think I could feel like that for the rest of my life. Him being dead doesn’t change that.’

‘Why not stick to the plan and pretend? If that was what you wanted,’ Cas adds. He doesn’t want to tell Dorothy to stay in the closet forever, but if she thinks and feels it’s for the best, he’s not going to push her out of it. Only she knows what she could live with.

‘Because some smart, bright, nerdy, red haired woman has come bursting into my life. She’s so gorgeous Cas, she made my heart feel like it was about to explode just by looking at her. And I know she feels like there’s something between the two of us.’ Cas thinks back to the moment he saw between them in the background of the show.

‘Probably.’

‘She feels bad about it too. I’m supposed to want to marry her best friend, and the truth is I couldn’t care less about Dean. Sure, he’s pleasing on the eye, but he’s not for me. Am I supposed to continue this, knowing there’s 19 other people who want him much more than I do?’ Cas hesitates, then moves to stand next to her. He rarely offers advice to people, and he could so badly ruin this, by saying the wrong thing. He’s not really a people person.

‘Dorothy, whoever the suitor was, he wasn’t going to be your type. And you knew that when you applied. I’m not saying you should drop out – god knows, there are people in here for worse reasons than that.’ He thinks about Lydia who’s here just for a baby. About Anna, who admitted to them all the night before when she got slightly drunk that the reason she’d applied was because she didn’t believe in sex before marriage, but really wanted to have sex. At least this way the divorce would have a good reason behind it.

‘But you might be voted off next week, and then all this will be for nothing. You’re here now, the episode has aired, you can’t be replaced. Honestly, I’d just go along with it. And don’t beat yourself up. If you’re not ready to come out, you’re not ready. There’s nothing wrong with that. I can’t tell you what to do about your Dad. I sympathize that it will be hard going through life wondering if he’d be disappointed in you.’ Cas gets that. Becky and Gabe didn’t talk about Chuck much, and Cas couldn’t really remember him. He’d done little bits and pieces to try and find him over the years, let him know it would be okay to reach out.

But sometimes he can’t help wondering if maybe Chuck would be disappointed with him. Cas hasn’t always made the right choices – nothing drastic, just small day to day choices -, and he wonders what his father would think of him. ‘And I didn’t know him, so I can’t say for sure. But from what you’ve told me before now, he sounds like he loved you. It’s true maybe he would have found it hard to cope with loving this one part of you, and I get that can feel like the crappiest feeling in the world. And maybe Charlie’s not the right girl for you, but opening yourself up to the possibility that there will eventually be the one for you out there – well. I believe having someone love you in that ‘profound-bond’ kind of way can make up for a lot.’

They’re silent when Cas finishes his speech.

‘Thank you, Cas,’ Dorothy says. She turns to look at him. ‘I still don’t know what I want to do. I am going to stay in this contest, though. You’re right – the chances of me getting through week to week are slim.’ She gives him a hug. It’s a little awkward, because Cas doesn’t hug much, although he thinks he’d quite like to, and Dorothy doesn’t seem like the type of person prone to hugging. ‘I mean it. Thank you.’ Cas smiles at her.

‘Don’t thank me too much. It’s really for selfish reasons that I want you to stay. If you leave I won’t have anyone to talk to.’

‘Your best friend is literally in the contest,’ Dorothy says and just like that the tension that’s been filling the hallway is broken.

‘My best friend is Balthazar,’ Cas says. Dorothy seems to understand as she gives him a grin.

‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Cas,’ she says. She pats him on the arm, then goes into her room wishing him a good night.

Cas takes the stairs up to his floor. He knows there’s a gym somewhere in the building, and idly thinks about paying it a visit sometime this week. He’s a runner, but not being able to keep up his weekly routine will affect his speed and his physique quickly.    

As Cas gets into bed, his mind strays to the first task. They’ll find out what it is on Monday.

According to Jess it can last from one day to three.

He turns over, the image of Dean floating in his mind, wondering what it will be.


	7. Chapter Seven: Dean

Monday arrives, Jo letting herself into the cabin. She’s already checked on the always running feed to make sure Dean’s awake, and he’s bustling around in the kitchen.

‘Morning,’ she shouts through to him. Dean comes out, wiping his hands on a tea towel.

‘You don’t knock?’ he asks. He’s looking a little better than the last time she saw him. No bags under the eyes, no patchy skin.

‘Didn’t seem worth it. I knew you were up,’ Jo says. She brings a tablet out of her bag, flashing him the screen, before tucking it away in there. ‘I can tap into any of the cameras any time I like with that. All the important players have got them.’ Dean’s gaze follows the tablet. A few clicks and he’d be able to see the main house. See the people inside.

He snaps his gaze back to Jo. ‘I see you’ve been busy,’ Jo says, walking into the kitchen. She takes a deep breath, letting the scents of cinnamon, vanilla, and baked apple wash over her. ‘Smells like Sunday evenings at my mom’s.’

‘Yeah, I was a little bored yesterday,’ Dean says. He’s not much a pastry baker, but he does know how to make a good pie. There are currently three golden crusted beauties sitting on the serving hatch. ‘Thought they might look good sitting in the shot.’

‘They do look amazing,’ Jo says. She’s bent over, examining them. ‘Are you going to eat them on your own? I mean three pies is a lot for anyone.’ Dean has no doubt that he could do it, but he is getting on a bit. And for the next six weeks since he won’t be able to get down to the gym, he’s probably better cutting down on the unhealthy options.

‘Nah. It was just something to do.’ Dean stretches, noticing that Jo’s eyes linger on the little bit of midriff it exposes. She’s very pretty, and maybe in another life something could happen between them.

But he can just imagine how that could turn awkward in a heartbeat. ‘Do you have anything for me?’ he asks, stepping a little closer to Jo. He hasn’t forgotten her promise to him – to provide him with little snippets of information.

‘Nope,’ Jo says, stepping back. She smiles up at him, and Dean is about to open his mouth remind her of her words, when there’s a clattering of heels on the floorboard, and Jess comes into the living room, jabbing at a phone.

‘Right. Sorry about this late start, but you know it’s a never-ending drama,’ Jess says. She takes a deep breathe too, smiling at the pies. ‘Oh, so cute. I bake when I’m stressed. Mainly cookies. I’ve got trays of the things in my freezer.’

‘Is everything okay?’ Dean asks. Jess is looking a little frazzled, flyaway hairs a bit static, her chest heaving a little. Her eyes keep flicking back to her phone.

‘Oh yeah. It’s always like this after the first show. People who know the contestants crawling out of the wood work, wanting to sell their stories to the press. We’ll get on top of it. We always do.’ She’s smiling, but it’s strained, and Dean notices her and Jo exchanging a dark look.

He moves away from them, picking his pies up, with the intent of moving them to the table in the living room. They’ll sit right in front of him and Jo that way.

He takes his time, enough that he hears Jo when she whispers to Jess ‘he’s not backing down?’ and sees Jess shaking her head.

Whoever’s crawled out of the woodwork this time must be really bad. Dean’s a little surprised. He assumed that all the contestants were background checked as thoroughly as he had been. Anything that could potentially be dangerous or make them look bad in the press was stamped out.

‘Anyway, enough about that. Today’s the first proper task. How are you feeling?’ Jess asks. She’s carrying over the last pie, rearranging them all on the table, turning them this way to show them off to their best angle.

‘Good. I mean how can you not feel good about pie?’ Dean says. He settles himself on his usual seat on the couch, slinging one arm along the back. Jo slides in next to him.

‘Personally, I don’t see the difference between pie and cake but I have been assured that they aren’t interchangeable,’ Jess says. Dean gives her a horrified look.

‘How can you not see the difference?’ Jess shrugs.

‘They’re both a sweet dessert thing. You can get different flavours.’ She shrugs again, and Dean shakes his head.

‘Sam doesn’t understand the difference either. Although I made sure he learned it after the first time he bought me cake instead of pie.’

‘Yeah?’ Jess says. She’s fiddling with the pies again. ‘And how is your brother?’

‘Fine, I guess. I haven’t seen them since him and Charlie left to watch the first episode. He’s coming to the filming later, though isn’t he? To taste test the pies the contestants are making.’

‘Yeah, him and Charlie.’ Jess seems to get lost in her own thoughts, but then she snaps back. ‘It’s a shame Benny couldn’t get as much time off as the other two. People really like him online. Mind you, there’s quite a lot of love for your whole family.’ She rifles through her bag, giving Dean a couple of printed out sheets. ‘There are some tweets about the show. They only refer to your F&F or you, yourself,’ she explains as Dean gives her a shocked look. ‘Nothing about any of the contestants so don’t look so surprised. You’ll have to read them later,’ she says, taking them back from Dean and placing them out of the camera line. ‘I’ll be outside, okay? Someone will let me know when you’re done.’ She leaves Dean and Jo alone for a second, before the make-up ladies are here again, coarse bristles over Dean’s face. He knows they’re annoyed at him, but he refuses to put on eye make-up. He doesn’t care how much it will make his eyes ‘pop.’

Jo’s doing her grinning at the camera bit, so Dean slouches a little lower and relaxes. He finally had a good night’s sleep last night. Instead of staring up at the ceiling till the early hours of the morning like he had been. He’s hopeful this means he’s adjusting to this new life.

‘Welcome once again to _The One._ It’s time for the First Task. As long-time viewers will know over the next six weeks Dean will be setting his potential partners a set of tasks. They’re all things Dean himself enjoys, so you can get a feel for how well a match Dean and the winner will be.’ Jo closes her mouth, listens to something in her ear, and then turns to Dean. ‘We’re just waiting for them. Something about the lighting.’ The front door crashes open, and then two people hurry into the room. Jo and Dean sit on the couch, while they rush around turning lamps on, and twitching at the curtains. One of them pulls Dean forward a little, making sure he’s in the glow of a lamp. Even though it’s broad daylight outside.

Dean’s not sure he’s ever going to understand the world of TV.

Him and Jo are left alone again, and she gives her little speech once more. ‘Dean. Please tell us what this first task will be.’

‘Well, Jo, as eagle eyed viewers may have noticed, the first task is: bake me a pie.’ Dean gestures to the pie in front of him. ‘Pie is probably my favourite food and while I can cook a pretty decent one myself, it’ll be nice to know that I have someone who could bake me one as a surprise once in a while.’ He grins into the camera, enjoying this mini interview.

The idea of future pie does make him happy.

‘Excellent. We’ve had a few cooking tasks in previous seasons. What are you looking for in your pie bakers, Dean? Would a particular filling give someone an advantage?’ Jo asks.

‘Apple’s my favourite, but really I’m not fussy. As long as it’s pie and not cake, I’m easy,’ Dean says. He gives a wink to the camera. Jo snorts. ‘And I know it’s a cliché, but I really believe in the saying ‘baked with love.’ If someone’s not feeling passionate about it, it will have an effect on the taste.’

‘Okay. Well, now the task has been set, let’s go and see how our contestants get on with it.’ Jo grins for a beat of five. ‘All done.’ She pats his hand, then stands.

Jo turns to leave, slipping something from a secret pocket, and handing it to Dean, as she grasps his hand.

‘That’s all we ask for. See you on Wednesday,’ she says, leaving Dean alone. He risks a glance out the window. Jess is pacing up and down outside, Jo heading to the sleek black car behind her. Jess is still on the phone and it doesn’t look like she’ll be off anytime soon.

He locks himself in the bathroom. Unfolds the pieces of paper that Jo has given him.

There’s a note attached to the top corner, obviously Jo’s handwriting.

_Hey. Each week the contestants are required to have a session with our therapist Missouri Moseley. They’re handed a drawing pad to doddle in while they talk. It’s the only thing I can get, but I hope it’s enough._

Dean turns his attention to the two pieces of paper behind it. These have come from two of the contestants.

The first piece of paper is covered in swirls and spirals, the pen strokes flowing. There are scribbles with names and numbers next to them. It takes Dean a few moments to work out it’s bible passages.

He doesn’t know how to feel about that. He believes in a higher power, but he’s not the church on Sundays kind of guy. Doesn’t really think about all that often, if he’s honest.

There’s a small ‘A’ in the corner of the paper. He wonders if it’s a signature, if they have to sign it with their initial so Missouri can remember which paper belongs to who.

Dean flips to the next page and bursts into laughter. There’s a drawing of Missouri. She’s been the therapist on _The One_ for the past ten years. She’s talked contestants out of breakdowns, and talked them through their fears. Dean loves her.

But he doesn’t think he’s ever going to think of her the same way again. In the drawing, she’s dancing in a cabaret act, feather boa slung across her shoulders, pearls dripping from her neck, and along the bottom of the dress she’s wearing. Her hair is piled high on her head, a martini glass in one hand, song notes coming out of her mouth. There’s a small B at the bottom of this page, little angel wings sprouting from either side. 

‘Dean? You still in here?’ Jess is calling from outside, and Dean shoves the pages in his pockets.

‘Yeah, hey. Sorry, nature called,’ he says, coming back into the hallway.

‘We’re off now, but I wanted to check. Do you mind if we take the pies? We can get the contestants to sample them before trying their own. See what they’re up against sort of thing,’ Jess says. Dean nods.

‘Sure, that’s a great idea.’ At Jess’s nod two people walk into the living room, then slip out the front door, pie in their hands.

‘Thanks. I’ll see you soon okay? Remember. If you need anything.’

‘Yeah, yeah, I know,’ Dean says. He waves Jess out, then marches upstairs, where he sticks the two drawings to his wall, opposite his bed.

He could end up marrying one of these people.

Isn’t that a crazy thought?


	8. Chapter Eight: Cas

The excitement is tangible. Everyone’s buzzing with this kind of energy, and nobody seems able to sit still. People keep dashing in and out of the room, trying to find hairspray, add more make-up, or to change their jeans.

No one has any idea what their first task will be, but the garden has been blocked off from their view. Someone’s heard a tent has been erected overnight.

They’ve been gathered back in the green room, to wait for their cue.

‘What do you think? Maybe something about animals? They had that on a previous season. The suitor was a small pet lover, had like thirty or something so they dumped twenty different animals in the garden, and the contestants had to interact with them. One guy ran away screaming when the tarantula climbed up his arm,’ someone is saying. There are several different theories floating around.

Cas doesn’t really like the sound of any of them. He likes animals sure, but he’s more of a serious talk to the cat to let his problems out, then a snuggle up at night with them kind of person. Someone thinks it’ll be a maze, that Dean likes logic games and escape rooms, but Cas can’t quite picture that. He has the sense that Dean would rather smash his way out of something blocking him in, than go through tests.

It could all be rubbish of course. Cas doesn’t know Dean at all.

‘Jesus. You’d think they’d be expecting this, but they’re acting like Santa’s just showed up,’ Meg drawls next to him. They’re standing against the wall, keeping out the way of the action.

Dorothy has immersed herself in a group, and Cas notices she’s looking very pretty today. She’s let her hair flow down her back, and had a pressed white shirt on.

‘You’re not excited?’ Cas asks Meg.

‘What that some guy has decided things he likes and I should have to spend the next five weeks doing them to please him? What about things I like to do? Shouldn’t Dean prove he can do some of those?’

‘I’m not entirely sure you understand how this TV show works,’ Cas says.

‘Oh no, I do. I’m just here to mock it.’

‘Well at least your goals are set,’ Cas says. ‘I’m still not sure what I’m doing here.’

‘Meeting new friends that you’ll cherish for life?’ Meg suggests. Cas smiles at her, and Meg looks away. ‘Don’t do that.’

‘What? Smile?’

‘Yeah. At least not that full-blown grin, where you look at people like they’re the only thing that matters. It’s giving me very conflicting feelings and I will not have them for a gay guy.’

‘I’m bi, actually.’

‘Really?’ Meg learns a little towards him. ‘What do you say when you and me get voted off this thing we have a little extra fun ourselves then?’ Cas likes Meg, but he’s not very good at being hit on. He gives her a smile – a small one this time – and says ‘we’ll see.’

Meg is very attractive and maybe there could be something there. But Cas has always been a very monogamous kind of person, and his focus is all on Dean. Until that’s taken away from him Cas won’t even be able to think about anyone else.

He’s saved from anything more, when Jess comes through the doors. There’s a sparkle in her eye, as she tells them to follow her, then marches towards the garden.

Whoever said it was right about the tent.

Jess leads them to the side of it, then without saying a word, opens a flap at the side, letting them go through one by one. As Cas makes to enter, the last contestant, Jess places a hand on his arm, and gently pulls him away.

‘Jess? Is everything okay?’ Even he knows being led away from the first task doesn’t bode well.

‘Yeah, sorry about the dramatics. I just needed a quick chat before we get started. It’s fine, everyone will be too occupied looking around to notice you’re missing. For a couple of minutes at least,’ Jess says. ‘Your brother,’ she says next and Cas frowns. What has Gabe got to do with this?

‘Gabe? What about him?’

‘No, not Gabe. Gabe, I could handle. Probably. It’s the other one. He’s threating to sell the story to the papers. It could affect your chances in this contest, Cas, if people read it.’ Cas feels like the ground is slipping away from him. ‘Do you think if you spoke to Luke he’d change his mind?’

He doesn’t have another brother. Maybe Jess got him confused with someone else?

But Jess isn’t like that. She knows every single one of these contestants, their family, their likes and fears. She wouldn’t make this kind of mistake.

‘I wasn’t aware I had another brother,’ Cas says the words slowly. ‘And the only story I can think of him referring to, is my mother and father leaving.’ A look of horror is slowly dawning on Jess’s face.

‘You didn’t…but he, he told us that you knew. We called BS on the claims at first because you never mentioned him in all your forms, but he said you were ashamed of him, just like the rest of the family.’ Jess rubs at her temples, and Cas’s heart goes out to her. ‘You didn’t know he existed, and I’ve just dropped this bombshell on you, and now you’ve got to go and perform the first task. We were worried about Luke ruining this for you and instead I’ve effed it up. Oh God.’

‘Luke? That’s his name?’ Cas asks. Jess takes a deep breath in, exhaling through her mouth. ‘One second Cas.’ She pulls the walkie-talkie she’s wearing on her dress strap to her mouth muttering instructions into it. Then, she takes Cas’s arm and leads him to low wall, where they perch. ‘Yesterday morning we received a phone call. It seems your brother, Luke Shurley, caught sight of you on the show. He contacted a local paper and offered to sell his story – your story. Of course, they called us – it’s more than their print run to publish a story we could take them to court over – but we had no idea about Luke. Like I said we went back through all the information you provided us with. No Luke. So, we looked up his birth certificate to see if he was faking. I’m sorry Cas, but he wasn’t. You have an older brother. He’s twelve years older than you are.’ Cas lets the information sink in. There was never any mention of another Shurley brother.

But maybe that was the point. Maybe in those unspoken silences, Luke’s presence was hanging over the house. But why were there no photos? Cas’s first memory is at three, but everything before that is hazy. Luke would have been fifteen. Did he run away?

‘Okay,’ Cas says. There’s not a lot of point dwelling on this now, not when he’s supposed to be in that tent, doing who knows what. He needs to focus on that. ‘So, he sells the story to the paper about my parents leaving? It’s not that big of a deal. Couldn’t we do one of those mini interviews, put it on the website?’ Jess closes her eyes again.

‘That’s not the story he wants to sell, Cas.’ She places a hand on his arm, looking into his eyes. ‘It’s not even much of a story really, he just seems like he wants his name in the papers.’

‘Alright,’ Cas says, but now he’s really lost. If there’s no story, then what is so bad that it could ruin his chances in this contest?

‘Cas, Luke’s in jail for murder.’

 

**

 

A few minutes later, Cas stumbles into the tent. Jess let him go after he reassured her he was fine. He could carry on, no problem.

Except he’s not fine. He’s dying to get hold of a phone and call Gabe, ask him why the hell he’s never told him about Luke.

Balthazar nods at him from across the tent, and Cas gives him a quick smile back. He needs to put it out of his mind, focus on this. It’ll just be a couple of hours, and Jess has assured him she’s doing everything she can to stop Luke’s story going to print. Other papers could dig it up themselves, but Luke and Cas apparently only lived in the same state for a few years, so Jess is hoping that will break the connection.

‘Cas, over here.’ A producer is yelling at him, and Cas walks over to him, not focusing. He hasn’t even looked around the tent yet, but as he does his heart sinks. There are ovens, and fridges. Jars of baking ingredients line the work surfaces around the tent, and at the front are three pies on a cake stand.

Cas hates baking.

Well, that’s not exactly true. He likes the idea of it, of being able to mould something amazing from your own hands, of bringing joy to other people through effort.

But nothing Cas has ever baked has turned out well. He can mould pastry into shapes, create sugar paste flowers, and swans from apples.

But it’s always been inedible. Gabe owns a bakery, Trickster, and whenever Cas visits he always rolls his sleeves up and tells himself it won’t be so bad this time. He’s tried cakes, biscuits, even packet practically already mixed cupcakes, and even they just taste bland and uninteresting.

Cas is positioned at an oven at the back of the room, behind Anna, next to Dick. Balthazar, Crowley, Lisa and Carmen are up at the front.

Everyone else looks really excited about this.

Tying his apron around him, Cas glances down at a typed sheet in front of him. There’s a basic pie recipe on it. There’s a wooden bowl filled with fruit at the end of each counter.

He guesses he can do something with them.

Cas takes a leaf out of Jess’s book, taking a deep breath in and a deep breath out. The cameras have already caught everyone else’s reaction to the first task, but Cas won’t be in those shots.

He has to put Luke out of his mind, and get through this. Maybe it’s for the best that the first task will show what a bad match he would for Dean. Maybe it’s best he gets voted off and has to leave. Then nobody will care about him, nobody will care about Luke.

He swallows against the sinking feeling in his stomach at the idea of leaving. Pushes everything to the back of his mind. Waits for Jo at the front of the tent to tell them they’ve got two hours to create ‘something fabulous’ then picks up an apple and focuses on that.

 

Twenty minutes later, after they’ve all been sent to the counters to pick up what they need for their pies, Cas hears a soft ‘dammit’ from Anna. She’s bending over piles of dishes in front of her, long hair tied up in a knot. He looks up from the apple he’s turning into a rose, blinking and coming back to himself. He’s been so consumed in cutting the apples into shapes, he hasn’t even started on his pie.

Slowly, after squirting some lemon juice on them, so they won’t brown too much, he transfers his apple shapes – roses and a swan – into the fridge, and comes back to his counter, squinting at the recipe sheet.

His heart sinks as he reads through it. It’s such a basic recipe, and yet he already knows it will come out tasting awful.

He sets about, preheating the oven, rubbing some of the butter on his dishes. Anna is moving around the shelves at the side, upturning butter dishes, and sighing every time she looks inside.

Cas look around, eyeing what the rest of the contestants are doing. Most of them have their hands in bowls, mixing, talking to themselves. Cas knows that quite a few of them – Lisa, Garth, Aaron, Robin, and Lydia – bake quite a lot in their spare time. Lisa was talking just the other day about the cakes she makes for her son Ben’s school bake sales. Dick is giving the pile of ingredients in front of him, in a bowl, a dirty look. He goes to put his hand in, but withdraws it before he can make contact. Then he shrugs, takes a wooden spoon from the drawer, and stirs it, lazily.

Crowley is sitting on his stool, legs swinging in front of him, smirking at everyone. There are no dishes on his work surface.

Cas is about to tip his block of butter into the clear mixing bowl in front of him, when he notices Anna. She’s coming back over, her eyes filling with tears.

He hears her sign again, as she takes a piece of paper and crumples it up. There are several different bowls on Anna’s work surface.

‘Anna? Are you okay? Cas asks. He leans over his table to whisper it, so that no one else will hear. If he was upset he wouldn’t want anyone to notice.

Not that anyone would notice. Cas is very good at hiding his emotions.

‘Oh, you’d like that wouldn’t you? For me to give up, chuck all this in the rubbish. Well I won’t. I’m stronger than that.’

‘I really did just want to check you were okay.’

‘Well unless you can produce butter from a not very hygienic place, then no I am not fine.’ Cas waits. Anna might be a little ball of rage sometimes, but she also talks. A lot. ‘I had this whole thing planned. A pie cake. Three pies, stacked on top of each other. I was going to paint a bride and groom on the top. And now I’ve run out of butter and there’s literally not a curl of it to be found anywhere. The camera men won’t call Jess and ask her for more. This whole thing is a disaster.’ Cas looks at the block of butter next to him. He measured it out according to the recipe.

‘Here. How much do you need?’ he asks, holding the dish out to Anna. Her eyes widen comically, as she looks between them.

‘Are you hoarding ingredients?’ Anna asks. ‘What are you planning?’

‘To follow the recipe as much as I can. The butter is for the pie, but I haven’t gotten around to using it yet. If you need to use some, you can.’ He holds it out a little further.

‘But it’s yours,’ she says, though her eyes don’t leave the yellow block. ‘I guess I only need a little bit.’ She reaches her hand out for it, then puts it down by her side. ‘No, I can’t. What about your pie? You’ve been working really hard.’

‘Trust me, it won’t make much difference. I’m not a baker.’

‘Anyone can follow a recipe, Castiel.’

‘True. But I always seem to mess it up somehow. I’m hoping not to poison the people who try this, but I’d be lying if I said my brother hasn’t thrown up because of something I’ve cooked. Please. Take some. I want to see this pie cake.’ Slowly, Anna takes the butter from him, turning to her table and cutting just less than half. She hands him back the bigger bit.

‘Thank you,’ she says.

‘You’re welcome.’

 

**

 

By the time Jo appears back in the tent, everyone is running around, making last minute adjustments to their pies. Cas is sieving icing sugar over the top, hoping it will hide that his pie is a little lopsided. He’s not sure what happened, but there’s a definitive dent in the top of it.

He places the cooked apple roses around the side, placing the apple swan in the middle, biting his lip when he notices that the swan won’t stand upright. The dent is too big.

There have been a few more disasters since Anna’s tears; Balthazar caused a flash fire when he was making his apple slices crisp and tried to show off and flip them, the oil in the pan catching light, Pete dropped a whole tray of sugar spun shapes on the floor, cracking them all, and Carmen turned the tap on too forcefully, splashing herself with water, leading her to take her jumper off, so she had to perform the rest of the task in a crop top. 

Crowley left the tent ten minutes ago and hasn’t come back, and everyone is sporting a flowery handprint on their butt courtesy of Balthazar when he was bored while his pie was in the oven.

Well, Meg and Dorothy’s aren’t quite on their behinds, since both of them turned on Balthazar quick as a flash. Meg chucked a whole bag of flour at him, and Dorothy got him in an armlock, making him beg for mercy before she released him.

‘That’s it folks! Times up!’ Jo calls. ‘Please, bring your pies up here, and we’ll get the judges in.’ Everyone walks to the front, carrying their pies, jostling each other for the best position on the table. Cas places his at the side, turning it so the swan faces the front.

The contestants are asked to take a seat, and then Sam and Charlie come through the door. Cas avoids looking at Dorothy. He doesn’t want to give anything away, and the cameras are focused on their every expression right now.

‘Wow. This is a lot of pie,’ Charlie says.

‘Yeah,’ Sam says. ‘I’m kind of thinking it would be better if Dean were here. I know nothing about pie.’ He smiles a little to himself.

‘Well tough. If Dean were here, it would change the entire concept of the show, so let’s get to it, shall we?’ Jo picks up the pie nearest her, one of the seven golden crusted domed shaped apples on the table.

Watching three people eat a forkful of twenty pies is very dull, it turns out. Most of them are good, with Charlie and Sam nodding at every bite. Anna’s pie cake gets a round of applause, and Sam makes a comment about how it’s like she’s seen into Dean’s soul. Anna beams at them, hugging her arms to her chest in pleasure.

Nobody noticed when Crowley slipped back in, but there he is, sitting on a stool at the front, smirking when they get to a perfect pie. There’s a lattice covering showing the deep red of the cherry filling, and Jo and Charlie close their eyes when they taste it.

Jo frowns a little as she listens to something in her ear, then turns to Crowley.

‘Crowley, a little birdie tells me that you didn’t follow the rules.’

‘Of course, I didn’t. I’ve never baked a pie in my life, why on earth would I start now? That’s been delivered from one of the finest bakeries in town.’

‘And how did you do that? Since our phones have been taken from us,’ someone questions.

‘Oh, I have sources,’ Crowley says. He winks at one of the assistants behind the camera who blushes.

Dick’s pie is the worst one on the table. It’s basically just a slightly flat pie crust with an apple placed on top.

‘Hey, look, I don’t bake. I’ve got people to do that for me,’ he says.

‘It’s a nice effort. I love the detail of the apple,’ Crowley says.

‘Bite me.’

‘With pleasure.’ Crowley gives Dick a wink, and a few giggles break out.

‘Moving on,’ Jo says, bringing Cas’s pie to the front. ‘Wow. Apples roses. That’s pretty.’ Charlie picks a small one up, popping it into her mouth, and crunching.

‘Yummy too.’

As soon as the pie is cut it becomes apparent that it’ll be getting by on looks alone. The filling has sagged down to the bottom, leaving a gap almost an inch wide at the top. Sam takes a mouthful, chews thoughtfully, while nodding.

And then he turns discreetly spitting the thing into the rubbish. ‘Sorry,’ he says.

Jo asks who’s pie it is, and Cas raises his hand. ‘Sorry about the taste. My brother got all the baking skills,’ he says, and then his mind flashes to if Luke can bake or not. ‘He owns a bakery, and no matter how many times I try, I cannot make anything edible.’ Everyone laughs, then moves onto Balthazar’s creation which appears to be made from him chucking everything in the bowl and hoping for the best. It’s not bad, they say, and they like the cherry juice he’s spattered on the top.

Dorothy made a Mississippi Mud Pie, which although deemed ‘amazing’ isn’t the kind of pie Dean prefers. Dorothy shrugs like this information doesn’t bother her, and Cas feels a rush of affection for his friend. A few of the other women would be so upset right now if they thought their pie making skills weren’t up to scratch.

Charlie and Sam declare Lisa the winner. Hers in one of the perfectly golden crusted domed pies, with three pastry leaves baked on top. It’s crispy and tangy and Sam declares that Dean would love it.

Lisa smiles and says she has a lot of practise. It’s her sons favourite too.

‘Well folks there you have it,’ Jo says smiling into a camera. ‘Join us after the break when we’ll be having the vote off, live from the house.’ She grins into the camera for five seconds and then turns back to the table of pies. ‘I don’t know about you, but I could really use something not coated in sugar,’ she’s suggesting to Charlie and Sam. They nod, and all three leave, waving goodbye to the contestants as they leave the room. The camera people pack up and leave, and the contestants are left staring at pies that look sad now they’ve had slices removed, all of them suddenly brutally reminded that Saturday will mean five of them leaving.


	9. Chapter Nine: Dean

Dean is lying on the couch, watching an old episode of _Dr. Sexy_ when there’s a knock on the front door. The next thing he knows, people are tramping through his hallway, depositing small boxes on his table, and then leaving again. Jess comes through last, tucking a phone into a jean pocket.

‘Dean, hey, how you doing? Good. I come bearing gifts,’ she says, gesturing to the boxes. There are at least ten.

‘Should I be scared?’ Dean asks. He likes Jess, but he also knows she’d do anything to get a good show going, and this feels a lot like bribery.

‘No, why would you be scared?’ She gives him a funny look, then draws a chair out and swings herself into it. ‘The first task was a pie baking contest, right? Well, here. We bought you some pie.’ Dean gets up from the couch, approaching the boxes cautiously.

‘I thought I wasn’t allowed to know anything about the contestants?’ he asks, opening the first box. A smell that makes him smile escapes and he breathes in the scent of apple and cinnamon.

‘We’re not handing you their photos and background checks, are we? Not that those would tell you anything, apparently,’ Jess says tightly. ‘I thought you could use something to cheer you up. Plus, what am I going to do with twenty pies? There’s only so much the crew can eat.’

‘Are you alright?’ Dean asks. He takes the seat next to her.

‘Yeah, fine. Something’s popped up, but it’s nothing to be worried about. Well, it’s nothing you should worry about. I’m going to be having sleepless nights till this is all sorted, but everything is fine. The show is fine, you’re fine, everyone will be fine.’ She stares at a spot on the carpet, gnawing on one of her fingernails.

‘Pie?’ Dean offers. He holds a box out to her, but she shakes her head, although there’s a faint smile on her face now.

There’s another noise at the door, and then Sam comes through, stopping when he sees Jess there.

‘Oh, sorry. I didn’t know you were going to be here. I was just coming to see how Dean was.’

‘No, don’t mind me, I was just leaving,’ Jess says, standing up. ‘Just came to drop some of the pie around for Dean.’ She gestures to the boxes again. ‘Dean, it was nice to see you. Enjoy the pie. Bye Sam.’

‘Hey, I’ll walk you out,’ Sam says. He leaves, opening the front door for her, and Dean hears ‘I didn’t have you down for a gentleman,’ and a giggle.

This could be unbelievable stupid or unbelievably cute. Dean trusts his brother, but he’s always been a little heart strong when it comes to girls. He falls fast and hard, and while Dean likes Jess, she’s the showrunner of the show he’s currently on. She’s got to be tough and Dean’s worried Sam could end up with his heart broken.

But Sam’s going back home for a week soon, and if they do get together Dean will have to deal with it.

He opens all the pie boxes, noting a few of them; there’s a chocolate one, a cherry one with lattice covering, one with apple roses on it, and one with cherry juice on the top. Dean’s closing them back up – to save for later. He’s going to have a great couple of days getting through these – when he spots a yellow piece of paper.

Heart beating a little faster, he picks up the box with three small pieces of pie inside, taking it into the bathroom with him. He doesn’t care if the camera people think he’s weird.

He’s eaten pie in the bath before.

Slipping the pages out of the top of the box, Dean sends a quick thank you to Jo. He doesn’t know how she’s managed to do it, but he’s so grateful.

The first paper contains a large mouth, a thick black tongue coming from it. It’s horrible and freaky. Little stick men and women appear to be jumping into the mouth, surrounded by teeth on all sides. There’s a small DR in the corner.

Dean flips to the next page and his heart stops.

There are ten little cartoon drawings. All people, but with a few details making them mythical.

Sliding to the floor, Dean looks at each small drawing in detail, letting the other page flutter down next to him. There’s a slightly portly guy with devil horns and a tail, a forked tongue and a trident in his hands. A slender woman with a mermaid tail, long flowing black hair and a kind smile. A tall lanky boy, covered in shaggy fur, howling at the moon. There are two more men, one blond – Dean guess he’s supposed to be blonde anyway, although all the drawings are done in black biro – one with dark hair. Both have angel wings sprouting from their backs. Dean flips the page over, noting there are nine more on there. Whoever drew this has turned the contestants – they have to be the contestants, don’t they? – into creatures. There’s a couple of dragons, hording treasure chests with great wings stretching off the edge of the page.

He folds the pages quickly, putting his head against the door. He feels like he’s just done something wrong. But he didn’t ask for them, did he? And how much do they actually look like the contestants? They’ve all got the same face shape, and it’s not like the drawings are amazing. There’s more detail in the mythical aspects than the human faces.

But still. Dean feels guilty. He promised he wouldn’t find out any details, and he doesn’t want to ruin the show for himself. Ruin his reaction to whoever’s at the end of the aisle waiting for him.

Dean pulls the page out again, scanning it for more details, but he’s right. There’s nothing here that would give anything about these people away. The hair is either the yellow background, or shaded in black biro. The eyes are all big and wide. Some are tall, some short, some sitting. Dean squints at one. He guesses it looks kind of like _Dr. Sexy._ So, maybe they’re not the contestants. Maybe they’re this person favourite characters or something.

Charlie is always doodling little sketches of _Lord of the Rings c_ haracters when she’s bored. Her notebooks are covered in the symbol from _Harry Potter._

There’s a small C scribbled in the corner of the paper, a halo over the top. Dean traces a hand over it.

The front door bangs and Dean stands up, stuffing the papers back in his pocket.

He can’t let anyone see the drawings.

Just in case.


	10. Chapter Ten: Cas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the first vote off...  
> Enjoy :)

There’s a knock on Cas’s door, early Friday morning. He stumbles over, wrapping the trench coat he bought with him over his PJ clad body. It’s been much too warm to wear around the house, but a cold wind came in overnight, and it’s still creeping through the house in the early morning.

‘Hey there little bro. Aren’t you glad to see me?’ Cas blinks at his brother Gabe.

Gabe isn’t supposed to be here. Gabe is supposed to be hours away, in his bakery. Cas hasn’t even told Gabe he’s doing the show. ‘Here,’ Gabe says thrusting a cup of coffee into Cas’s hand. ‘I knew you wouldn’t be functioning this early. I did try to say it wasn’t a good idea but she insisted.’ Gabe nods down to the hallway, and when Cas pokes his head out, it’s to see Jess pacing, phone clamped to her ear.

Gabe has squirmed his way into Cas’s room and is looking around. ‘This is a little basic for a TV show, isn’t it? I was expecting something a bit more lavish.’ He peers at the photos stuck to the wall. ‘Nice. I’m in what, one of these? Balthazar’s in seven.’

‘What are you doing here?’ Cas asks, although he can take a pretty good guess. He swigs from the coffee, trying to wake himself up.

It’s 7am. Today was supposed to be relaxed, before the fever of tomorrow hit the house.

‘Your showrunner called me in.’ Gabe puts his hands in his pockets. ‘I suppose you want to talk about Luke?’

Cas shrugs. ‘Is there much point? No one’s talked about him for over thirty years.’ He crosses over to the chest of drawers he’s got, pulling the top one out a little harder than he intended.

‘Come on Cassie, don’t be like that.’

‘Oh, I’m sorry. Should I just forget that everyone in this family is a liar? That you kept a brother secret from me?’

‘You didn’t tell me about this show. How did you think I felt when I got the call my baby brother was on a TV show competing to marry some guy he’d never met at the end?’

‘Are you trying to compare that to not knowing about the brother who’s in jail for murder?’ Cas asks, turning around to face Gabe.

‘You didn’t need to know about Luke. He was gone by the time you were three, and he wasn’t that great anyway. It was the best thing he did, leaving at 16.’

‘Was it?’ Cas asks. ‘Because Mom and Dad left too, and it would make a lot of sense if he was the reason why.’

‘Okay, well you seemed to have worked this all out for yourself. I’ll just go, shall I?’ Gabe says, heading for the door. He almost collides with Jess, who’s finished her phone call and is coming in to check on them.

‘Everything alright in here?’ she asks. She closes the door behind her. ‘Sorry about the early hour Cas, but we had to sneak Gabe in before anyone else was up. Couldn’t have them complaining about unfair treatment, and family aren’t supposed to visit. Well, except in Lisa’s case.’ Lisa’s son Ben is allowed to visit her every Sunday. They all met him last week when he came for his first trip. ‘Has Gabe told you?’ Cas looks at his brother, then turns back to his chest of drawers. He needs to be doing something.

‘Gabe hasn’t told me anything,’ he says.

‘Okay,’ Jess says. ‘Well the Luke thing is all sorted. Gabe came down yesterday and spoke with him and now we’ve flown him here. He was insistent on seeing you and really it was the least we could do.’

‘You saw Luke?’ Cas asks.

‘Yeah. He’s agreed not to sell his story, but what Luke says and what he actually does are two very different things. I don’t know how long I’ve actually bought you.’

‘Oh, no we made him sign contracts. If his story leaks, he’s going to be in breach of them and I doubt he wants that,’ Jess says. She sounds tired, but happy. ‘Which, actually is something I wanted to discuss with you both. Damage control can only go so far – Luke can’t tell anyone about his connection to you, but it could get out another way. There’s one way to avoid it. If we promise to tell the story to the press, but only after the contest has ended.’ There’s silence in the room.

‘You wanted me to stop this story so you could leak it yourselves?’ Gabe asks. Cas turns back around.

‘Does it matter?’ he says flatly. ‘So what if everyone finds out I’m related to a murderer.’ Gabe winces at the word. ‘Once the contest is over no one’s going to care about me. It’s only the top five or the ones who stand out that get pieces written about them.’ Jess raises an eyebrow at him. ‘People talk,’ he explains. His knowledge (or lack thereof) of the show is well known.

‘And what if Cassie wins?’ Gabe asks. Jess frowns at him, then realises he means his brother and her face takes on a cadged expression.

‘We will cross that bridge when we come to it,’ she says. Cas looks at her. She doesn’t think he’s going to win.

He’s reminded of Gordon’s words after he told Sam his pen name, about how everyone knew why Cas was in this contest. ‘But if that’s sorted, I’ll let you two have some time alone. Please let yourself out by nine, or we’ll have to have everyone’s family member here. Or tell them what the issue was.’ Jess leaves, and Cas sits on his bed, drinking his now lukewarm coffee.

‘Tell me about him,’ Cas says. Gabe sits on the floor, crossing his legs underneath him, sighing.

‘He’s my brother – our brother – and I love him, but he is not a good person, Cas. One of those people who’s just born with something dark inside. I don’t know what trigged it. The most I ever got out of Mom was that it was something to do with Dad, some big bust up. She rarely talked about Luke from the moment he left, and then not at all once Dad went and you started getting older. She took all his photos down and said she only had two sons. And then she went too.’

‘Who did he murder?’ Cas asks. Gabe twists his mouth to the side.

‘A couple of people. Look, I don’t know all the details. He was arrested when he was 18, but only charged with accidental manslaughter. He got released after a few years, killed someone in cold blood and got life. That was when Mom left, when we got that fun little fact.’

Gabe chews his lip. ‘I’m sorry I never mentioned him, and I’m sorry if this ruins your chances.’ Cas shrugs.

‘I don’t think my chances are good anyway.’

‘Ah, don’t sell yourself short, Cassie. I caught the show on Saturday. Little bit shocked to see my baby brother show up in it, but worse people than you have won.’ Gabe flashes him a grin.

‘Are you okay with this? Them telling everyone about Luke. The bakery could be affected. I could quit.’

‘Wouldn’t that bother you? I don’t imagine these things are easy to get into.’

Cas shrugs again. He doesn’t want to quit – there’s a stubborn part of him that’s determined to show everyone that he can do it, he can go far.

That he could maybe even win.

But at the same time, quitting would be easier. He didn’t mind the truth of his parents coming out, but Luke’s story is a big deal. Cas isn’t sure he’s ready for that, not when he’s only just got his head around it himself.

‘Don’t quit, baby bro,’ Gabe says. He stands, clapping Cas on the shoulder. ‘I should get going. Can’t leave Trickster alone for long.’ Cas stands too, walking his brother to the door. There’s an assistant waiting in the hallway, ready to take Gabe back to the car they’ve booked for him.

‘Thank you for this. You didn’t have to speak to Luke. Not for me.’

‘Yes, for you. I know we don’t speak very much and you’ve got Balthazar. I know I left just like Mom and Dad, and I know I’m a terrible brother.’

‘You’re not so bad,’ Cas says. He’s thinking about when he gets voted off from the contest. If he doesn’t get to a computer in the first couple of hours, the whole of America is going to know what Luke looks like before he does. ‘I’ll call you once this is over.’

‘Yeah? You should come visit before your next writing trip. Trickster’s had a paint job since you were last there.’

‘I’d like that,’ Cas says. Gabe pats him on the shoulder once more, and then Cas watches his brother walk away with the assistant.

He looks at the clock. There’s no point going back to bed. He might as well get dressed.

 

**

 

‘I feel ridiculous,’ Dorothy says. She’s standing next to Cas, pulling at the long purple evening gown she’s been given to wear.

‘Me too,’ Cas says. All the guys have been given tails and top hats to wear. Balthazar is loving it of course, twirling a stick he found and using as many British phrases as he can fit in a sentence. All the girls are in evening dresses, in deep jewel colours. Cas doesn’t like to mention it but he’s pretty sure it’s the exact same fabric the cushions in the little garden seating area are made from.

‘I thought this was supposed to be about selling us to the public, presenting the best versions of ourselves. This is not what I would chose to wear in any situation,’ Dorothy says. She tugs at the layered dress skirts, mumbling under her breath.

‘Would it help if I told you how amazing you look?’ Balthazar says, coming over to them. He puts an arm around them both.

‘Not in the slightest. I don’t need a dress to look amazing, I can do that in jeans and a t-shirt. And you should see me in my costumes,’ Dorothy says. She looks around at the other contestants milling about. All of them have smiles on their faces, running hands through silk, or smoothing out slight creases. ‘Are we the only ones that have an issue with this?’

‘Oh, I very much doubt it, love. Everyone else is just a better actor,’ Balthazar says. He’s twirling his stick in one hand. ‘You could always pull a Meg.’

‘Why? What’s she done?’ Cas asks. Balthazar gives him a quick look, and Cas nods once, to show he’s fine.

As soon as Gabe left his room yesterday, Cas went straight to Balthazar. He told him everything, sitting on the floor while Balthazar blinked at him sleepily from under the covers.

Once Cas had finished, Balthazar gave him a hug and they talked. Cas still isn’t sure of what he’s feeling, but he knows he feels better after talking about it with someone.

Plus, Balthazar didn’t recall any older brothers living in the Shurley house either, and he grew up three doors down from them. Both his parents died almost ten years ago, so he can’t ask them why they never told him.

‘Darling Meg has customized her dress. She’s currently getting yelled at by Jess. Apparently, these outfits have to go back at the end of the evening.’

As if saying her name summons her, Meg comes stomping out of the main house, everyone lining up in their positions when they see Jess right behind her.

Cas hides a smile. Meg’s midnight blue dress has been ripped up the front, displaying her legs in their black lace up boots. She’s wearing a black t-shirt with white splatters across the front of it.

She catches Cas’s eye and raises an eyebrow, and Cas tilts his head to her, in acknowledgment of her awesomeness.

She smirks back at him.

‘Ladies and gentlemen. Are you all ready for the first vote off!’ Jess calls out. She stands in front of them. ‘Sorry there’s no cushions and relaxed evening off tonight, but tomorrow, for the fifteen that remain will be a day of rest. No cameras, I promise.’ Someone let’s out a cheer at that.

Jess explains that they’re still going to watch the show tonight. Assistants are carrying fold up plastic chairs out, and leaving them behind everyone. ‘Please everyone try your hardest not to crumple your outfits. You’ll be on live TV as soon as this screen behind me goes black.’ She explains how the vote off will work, even though everyone has already heard it – or seen it, for those who watch the show – a million times.

The silver bracelet they were gifted at the first greeting with Jo has remained empty.

Until tonight. As soon as Jo gives the go ahead, a stream of assistants, all dressed in black will emerge from the side lines, each standing behind a contestant.

On Jo’s words, the assistants will place a charm on the contestants’ bracelet; if they’ve gotten through to the next round it will be a charm relating to that week’s task.

If they’ve been voted off there will be a red dangly X attached to the bracelet.

The assistants will leave, and Jo will ask them to look at their bracelets. The five with the X will leave the house straight away, getting into cars ready to take them to a hotel where they give a few more interviews, and stay till the end of filming.

Jess claps her hands, and they all settle into the chairs. They’re a little creaky, and uncomfortable, but most people are sitting up, legs crossed, straight backed, trying not to ruin their outfits.

Jess is on the side lines, making sure everything goes off without a hitch tonight.

The screen flickers to life, the credits of _The One_ getting a cheer. There’s Jo, a line of shadowy figures behind her – that part is supposed to be live, but they filmed it the other night. They had to do one take every hour so that the sky would match.

They cut to Dean and Jo talking about the first challenge, and Cas’s heart gives a lurch when he hears Dean for the first time.

_Not your heart,_ he tells himself. _It’s not your heart. It might be another part of your anatomy, but not that. You can’t let it be that._

Cas has promised himself not to fall for Dean. He can see it in the faces of some of the others, whenever Sam or Jess talk about Dean. The softening of the eyes, the dreamy smile on the face. For a man they’ve never met.

Cas tries to tell himself it’s just like having a crush on someone from TV, but it doesn’t work. Because at the end of these weeks, one of them will be marrying Dean.

And until there’s a red X dangling from his wrist, Cas knows a part of him is always going to hope, to wish. To smile to himself when he thinks about Dean and the stories Sam told them about when they were young.

Up on screen, the contestants are entering the baking tent looking around in wonder, Lisa grinning as she realises the first task is baking.

Cas appears in the background suddenly, although if you weren’t paying attention you wouldn’t notice it. Crowley’s talking to someone off camera, some of them are tying aprons or scribbling down ideas on pieces of paper. Dick is sneering around the room, and Meg’s standing at her station staring into the camera idly.

The baking starts, and there’s a close up of Cas carving the apples. The look on his face is intense, like he’s forgotten where he is, why he’s doing this. Everyone else – bar Crowley, and Dick, who are both sitting on their stools, Crowley relaxed, Dick poking at a packet of flour – is running around, grabbing extra ingredients from the side.

Then comes minutes of the contestants talking into the camera. How they feel about the first task, what they’re planning on doing with their pie to show their skill. If they think Dean will like it. Lisa talks about Ben and how she bakes this to cheer him up, Cassie talks about how she’s got no idea what she’s doing but she’ll try her best and Pete talks about how he never really has much time for baking with the important work he does, but he loves when he gets the time to do it.

There are a few mutters at Pete’s line about being too busy – he’s a look alike. He gets booked to stand around at parties and pretend to be _Dr. Sexy._

Sometimes he seems to forget that he isn’t actually a highly skilled doctor.

The screen is on Anna as she starts to tear up, realising that she won’t be able to make her perfect three tied pie. They show the whole exchange between Anna and Cas, Cas admitting that everything he’s ever baked has been inedible.

The camera moves on afterwards, everyone getting their shot at the screen, but there’s no doubt that Cas and Anna got the longest screen time. Cas shuffles on his chair, feeling the eyes of his fellow contestants on him. He notices Meg’s smirk, and Dorothy’s smile. Balthazar’s shake of the head, and Gordon’s darkening glare as he stares at him.

Cas isn’t paying much attention to the rest of the episode. Every second that ticks down is another second that might be his last here. He can sense it in the others too. There’s more shifting, and sighing, whispers breaking out every now and again.

And then the screen goes black, and Jess is clapping their attention back to her.

‘This is it! Please stand. Three minutes until we go live, and I don’t think I need to remind you but I will. No swearing, no flashing, no being on anything but your best behaviour. Do you hear me?’ She makes eye contact with each of them as they stand, the chairs behind them dragged away.

Jo is ushered in front of them, smiling at the camera, and then there’s a loud ‘3, 2,’ and then silence.

‘Welcome back. We hope you’re all as excited as we are here at _The One._ You’ve been watching the contestants behind me for two weeks now – both online and on TV. You’re starting to get a feel for their personalities and we know you’ve all got your favourites already.

Now it’s time for our first public vote off. As you know, each contestant was gifted a silver chain the first time we met them. Tonight, a charm will be added to everyone’s. A pie…’ Jo holds up a delicate charm of a silver pie slice. ‘Or a cross.’ In Jo’s other hand is a red X. It seems neon in the early evening moonlight, but it’s just because all the spotlights have swung around to centre it. ‘Those with the X’s will leave the contest tonight and will kiss their chance of marrying Dean goodbye. Let’s find out who’s made it through to next week, shall we?’  Jo grins at the camera – Cas is watching her on the little screen opposite them – then spins around to face them. ‘Gentlemen. The charms please.’ The assistants in black are back, each of them settling behind a contestant.

Cas wants to wipe his hands on his trousers, but he can’t. He wants to lean his head over the nearest bush and vomit, but he can’t do that either.

He takes deep breaths, counting to ten in his head. He knows that anything can be handled for ten seconds at a time.

His wrist is pulled back, something clipped on. Cas tries to control his chest, which is heaving. He’s glad he’s not the only one – he can see down the line that everyone is struggling a little bit.

The assistants leave and Jo waits a beat before declaring they ‘lift up your arms.’

And then, in a movement perfectly synchronised (it had better be. They had to do it fifty-seven times the other day to make sure they had it perfectly – Cas counted) all the contestants extend their arms in front of them, taking in the added charms for the first time.

 

A pause. And then ‘you’re kidding me, right?’ from Carmen as she walks forward. Cas knows this dance. The five with the red X’s on them have to walk to the front to say their goodbyes.

Robin and Lydia walk forward to join her, everyone looking around, confused. Gordon takes a step forward, face like thunder as he glares at the camera.

‘I have never been voted first off anything and I’ve done seven TV shows. This is a mistake,’ comes a voice from further down the line. Rhonda walks forward, completing the set.

Four girls, one guy.

Jo comes closer to talk to them – well, to try anyway. Only Lydia and Robin talk to Jo, the other three ignoring her, and each other.

But Cas can’t hear them.

He’s too busy staring at the little silver slice of pie dangling from his bracelet.


	11. Chapter Eleven: Dean

‘Not a chance,’ Dean says. He’s staring at the chain mail tunic Jo is holding in her hands.

Not holding. Presenting him with.

‘Alright, but you can tell Jess,’ Jo says, laying the garment over the back of one of the chairs. It makes a clanking noise as the chains clash together.

‘I’ll wear it, just not without the trousers,’ Dean says. Jo’s been here for ten minutes already. She’d looked so delighted when she’d first shown him the costume Jess wanted him to wear, informing the remaining fifteen contestants of their second task.

But Jo was only delighted because Jess wanted him to wear the tunic and just the tunic. No shirt underneath – which was ridiculous because those chains had gaps in them – and no trousers. She’d helpfully provided black boxer shorts for Dean to wear, but Jo had doubled over trying not to laugh before she’d even finished pulling them out of her bag. ‘Do you want me to call her?’ Jo waves her phone in his face and Dean is tempted to knock it out of her hand.

But that wouldn’t deter Jo. She’d probably just raise an eyebrow at him and say something like ‘temper, temper’ as if she was talking to a naughty two-year-old.

And then not send him any of the contestants’ drawings. And Dean really wants more.

He spends every night before bed looking at the one of the mythical humans. He’s pinned all of them on the wall opposite his bed, because the moonlight hits them just right, lighting them enough that Dean can see the drawings in perfect detail.

He turns C’s (what Dean has started to call this person in his head) paper over each night, so he can really drink in the creatures. It bugs him that there are only 19. The illustrator didn’t draw themselves, but thanks to the halo over their initial, Dean is guessing they’d be an angel too.

And then he can’t help thinking about how his Mom always used to tell him angels were watching over him when he was young. ‘Never mind,’ Jo says, her attention caught by something out the window. ‘You can tell her yourself.’ Jo takes her usual position on the couch.

Today her dress had got a pleated skirt and she’s braided some of her blonde hair in a thick plait that stretches around her forehead. They’re really going all out on this costume thing.

Jess lets herself into the cottage then, nodding hello to Jo. She looks at the tunic over the chair.

‘Okay, so why is that not on you?’ she asks pointing to it and then to Dean. She seems a bit calmer than last time Dean saw her.

‘Because I saw what you wanted me to wear under it,’ Dean says.

Jess rolls her eyes.

‘Dean. This is a TV show. A family show, yes, but sex sells. Do you know how many people on social media are practically foaming at the mouth to get a glimpse of you? More than a glimpse of you?’ She gestures to his body. ‘We’re not asking you to go swimming in teeny tiny trunks, or work out in a gym, all covered in sweat. We haven’t got more than one shot of you in your firefighter uniform.’ Jess is all big eyes and pleading.

‘Are the contestants going to be wearing this?’ Dean asks.

‘Something like it, I guess. We’ve got a whole rail of clothes for them to choose from. But you know I think your future husband or wife would really like to see you in this.’ Dean almost asks why it matters, since he doesn’t get to see them at all.

But he knows the rules. The whole selling point of this show is that he won’t know who he’s marrying. ‘Please Dean? It would mean so much to me.’ Dean gives her a look.

‘Do I have a choice?’ Jess considers this.

‘I’m not going to physically force you into it, but I would maybe remind you of the contracts you signed when you agreed to be this years’ suitor where you said you would wear all the clothing provided.’ She bats her eyelashes at him a few times.

If Dean wasn’t becoming more convinced with each passing day that Jess was going to be his brother’s new girlfriend – because, yeah sure, Sam had ‘accidently’ forgotten his coat at the main house and had to drive back over for it last night, before he took his plane back to Kansas – Dean would tell her where she could stick her contract.

A few minutes later Dean comes out of the bathroom. Jo wolf whistles and Jess looks him up and down, but it’s more appraising than anything.

‘Excellent.’ She’s still looking at him though, trying to sum something up. When she doesn’t leave the house, and tell them to get on with it – she’ll watch from her tablet outside – Dean knows she’s here for something more than a predicted problem with the costume.

‘Everything okay? You get that thing that was bugging you last week sorted?’ he asks. Jess starts, like his words have surprised her.

‘Yeah. Kind of. We’ve controlled it. For now, anyway.’ She twists her mouth to the side. ‘Do you remember those forms we gave you to fill out about what you’d like in a partner and what you’d consider?’ Dean nods. He remembers.

Twenty pages of his preferences. If he likes dark hair, or light, and if so how dark? What type of body did he usually go for? Would he consider someone with children? And work wise. Was he a uniform kind of guy, did he have a thing for people in glasses, what were his turn on’s?

Dean barely remembers what he wrote at the end. He thinks he was just ticking boxes randomly; he’s never really been fussed what the person he’s taking home looks like. Don’t get him wrong in a one night stand situation having a hot body works. And if he had to choose then he’d go for dark hair. Something about seeing it on his white pillows when he wakes up sends a bolt of lust through him.

And eyes. He’s got a thing for really great eye colour. Having been told all his life that his green eyes are striking, the eyes are always the first thing Dean’s notices about a person.

He’s actually already said that in one of the mini interviews for the website.

‘What about it?’ Dean asks, but Jess is already shaking her head, coming out of the place she was in.

‘Nothing. Right, are we ready to do this? You know what’s going to happen?’

‘I’m going to tell the contestants what their next task is. I’ll let them know they’ll be spending three days with Charlie, in costumes, attending FanastyFest, a local LARPing event. They’ll have to sleep in tents, and get in character. Maybe even do a little duelling.’ Dean feels a small pinprick of lust at that.

People in armour, defending someone’s honour, fighting to the death (well, LARPing death anyway) really turns him on.

‘Great. Be sure to mention how that makes you feel, okay?’ Jess says. She clearly saw his pupils dilate a little when he mentioned duelling.

Dean takes his seat on the couch. Jess pulls out one of the chairs, and watches them.

Dean feels a little uncomfortable with her in the room. There’s obviously something she’s not telling him – something about one of the contestants that has just come out, Dean figures– and Dean doesn’t like it.

He thought the idea of these TV shows was background checks to the hilt. He knows he had to provide details of everything as far back as his great grandmother.

And if it was so bad that the person was hiding it, why wouldn’t they just be kicked off the show? It doesn’t happen often, that’s true, but there was that guy in season 7 who was living under a fake name and had a wife and three children in another state.

The interview goes by in a flash, Dean too preoccupied with what Jess isn’t telling him to pay much attention. He knows he winks at the camera at one point, and that he goes on a little long about his love for LARPing and how him and Charlie go every weekend they can, because Jo clears her throat to hurry him.

He knows he tells them that Charlie is currently the reigning Queen of their Fest back in Kansas, and that Dean is her handmaiden.

‘Wow, Dean you’re really becoming a natural at this,’ Jo says. She punches him lightly on the arm, standing and fiddling with her dress.

Dean knows what this means.

‘Are you sure? I felt like I could do it better,’ he says, willing Jess has somewhere she needs to be.

But Jess isn’t even paying them any attention. She’s staring at the photos Dean’s got tacked to the wall behind the couch, smiling slightly at one of Sam with long hair when he was about 14. Goofy smile, stupid grin on his face.

Jo leans in to give Dean a hug, and he feels her slip something into the waistband of his underpants, on the other side of the camera.

It would have been easier with jeans on, but Jo doesn’t seem to mind.

‘No, you were great,’ Jo says. She waves at him, before leaving, Jess following after.

Dean gives them a few minutes before he goes to the bathroom, locking the door behind him, even though there’s no one in the house with him.

It’s another two pieces of paper.

Dean gets a shock at the first one – it’s a self-portrait. Or at least he assumes it is. Nobody would draw someone they only met two weeks ago, lounging on a throne, crown on their head, servants bowing down to them.

It’s not a very good picture, just a round face with lines for hair, and a scribbled in beard. Some form of black coat. The slogan ‘Welcome to Hell’ scratched in the top right.

Dean seeks the signature out, and there it is at the bottom.

His heart stops. It’s a C. But this time it’s been attached little devil horns.

Is it the same person? Angel and devil? One good, one bad. Maybe this is how he sees himself, and everyone else are the tiny little creatures serving him?

But somehow Dean can’t make the two drawings mesh in his mind. The other portraits were softer. There wasn’t so much anger in them, where as this picture in front of him now has a few holes and rips in the paper from where the pen’s been stabbed down too hard.

Dean flips to the other paper. There are small drawings of pies, and stars, music notes. A few scribbled song lyrics from bands Dean listens to, and some stick figures bending over in yoga poses.

There’s a big heart in the middle of the page, with the initial B inside, but the signature at the bottom says L. Nothing fancy about this initial, just straight up and down lines.

They miss someone. Someone who likes the same bands as Dean, and pie. And yoga, too. An ex-boyfriend? A brother, although that seems a bit creepy.

Maybe a child, Dean thinks, the questions from the forms he had to fill in once again in his mind.

But that brings up a whole new level of fear inside him. Sure, Dean likes children, likes the idea of having a couple someday. But plopping right into the forefront of someone’s family?

That’s a scary thought. And he’d have to move then, wouldn’t he? He couldn’t ask his wife or husband to move their kid across state lines.

Dean decides these pictures will go at the end of his collection, along with the mouth one. The moonlight doesn’t reach all the way to the edges, so he can’t really make out the details.

There’s room for another one to go above and below the cartoon drawings of mythical humans.

But Dean doesn’t want anything else taking his attention.

He hasn’t seen anything good enough.

Not yet.


	12. Chapter Twelve: Cas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know very little about LARPing, this was all from Google.   
> I hope you enjoy.

The fifteen contestants are gathered in the garden to find out the second task. Everyone’s sporting a confused face – the garden is in the same state it was when they went to bed last night. It should have been decorated, redesigned, something by now.

The only clues they have are an excited Charlie standing next to Jess, and someone saying they thought they saw two mini vans in the parking lot out the front of the house.

‘We can’t really be going out. They’ve never done that before,’ Meg drawls next to Cas.

‘I thought you didn’t watch the show?’ Cas asks. Meg has been very vocal about how this is reality rubbish and she’d rather get stabbed to death than watch it.

Her pale cheeks pinken slightly, but she raises an eyebrow at him.

‘As you so often say, people talk. I’ve learned more about this show being here than I could have if I’d watched all the previous seasons.’

‘How many have you watched?’ Meg throws him a dark look, and Cas smiles back at her.

But he drops the subject. ‘I think we might be going out. They’re taking the show in a slightly different direction this year. If they had something they thought would make great TV…’ Cas trails off as Jess and Charlie move in front of the camera.

Like an unspoken rule, the contestants move into their line, a few of them shuffling up to fill the gaps left by the five.

Five people leaving should have made a big difference to the group, Cas thinks. But he hasn’t noticed it. There’s less loud laughter whenever someone says something, less flirty looks to the camera, and less flesh on show. Less of a dark presence when you walk into a room now Gordon’s gone, although Dick’s still around and Crowley’s a little spiky.

Jo comes into view then, the contestants mumbling about her look. She’s wearing some kind of velvet tunic over leggings, sandals on her feet. Her blonde hair is flowing down behind her, a crown nestled on her head.

Dorothy’s eyes are lit up, and Cas doesn’t miss the excited smile her and Charlie share when their eyes meet.

He scans the rest of the line, but apart from Aaron who’s smiling slightly, they all seem as confused as he is.

‘Everyone ready?’ Jess shouts. The contestants nod, and Jess leaves to stand on the side lines and watch everything unfold.

Jo and Charlie are counted in, and Jo does her little introduction bit.

‘For this week’s task, it’s over to Charlie.’

‘Thanks Jo,’ Charlie grins at the camera, but she’s flexing her fingers, clearly nervous. She turns to face them. ‘One of mine and Dean’s favourite hobbies is LARPing. I hope you’re up for the challenge.’ 

Dorothy is full on grinning now, Aaron clapping his hands together. Meg and Balthazar look amused, but most of the rest of them still have the confused looks.

‘Live action role playing,’ Charlie explains. Cas has heard of that. ‘We’ll be travelling to the local FantasyFest where we’ll be staying for three days. Everyone will need to choose a character, and play as them. Once there you’ll be provided with costumes and wigs.’

‘Wigs?’ Meg mutters. Dick is frowning and Bela Talbot down at the end looks like she smells something bad.

‘So, if you’d like to follow me,’ Charlie says. She waves them forward, to go towards the buses, but there’s a shout of ‘cut’ and then lots of fussing around before they can actually film that part.

First it has to be decided who will travel on the bus with Charlie and Jo and the film crew, and who will be on the other bus. Jess sorts them into two lines, and it isn’t until Cas climbs on the bus that he realises he hasn’t made the cut.

Maybe he should feel disappointed. Dorothy and Balthazar are on the other coach, along with Meg, Dick, Lisa and Anna.

Cas is just grateful he’s away from the cameras for a little while. He’s been noticing them more often recently. There’s one in the hallway outside his room (although not on the woman’s floor. Cas went and checked. If Dorothy thought the conversation they’d had had been overheard she would have been a wreck.)

He takes a seat next to Garth, leaning his head against the window. Garth is content to just talk, and doesn’t seem to require Cas to listen, although he does. He’s enjoying Garth’s story about his dental assistant who dresses in fairy wings and tells the little kids she’s the tooth fairy, when flags start appearing in the van windows.

Everyone on the coach gets a little quieter as they pass large green fields, filled with brightly coloured tents. There are people in all different costumes milling around, not a pair of jeans to be seen anywhere.

As they leave the coach, a couple of people in wooden stocks shout things at them, people who clank when they wave as they walk past. Everyone seems happy and smiley.

There are a few people who point at them in excitement, but Jess is walking over to them, ushering them out of the way, and into a waiting area.

They’re all processed, and then lead to a massive red tent, in the shade of the trees. Inside are rails of costumes. Wigs are sitting on tables, swords and shields hanging from the walls.

‘Okay guys. For the next three days, this will be your home. You’ve all been assigned two to a tent.’ She reads their tent partners off, and Cas is glad to find his is Balthazar.

‘The cameras will follow you around, but try not to pay too much attention to them.’ Her eyes find Cas and he looks at the ground. He knows he’s been flicking his gaze to them too much, lately. That sometimes they’ve had to call cut and redo the shot they were after. ‘I’ll be watching, too,’ Jess says, showing off her tablet. ‘Have as much fun with it as you want. Remember, this is Dean’s hobby. Now there are some information leaflets on that table over there, but if you’ve got any questions Charlie will be here to answer them for you.’

‘What happens if you don’t want to do this?’ Bela asks. She’s toeing the mud with a shoe that she’s already informed them cost more than any of them make in a month.

‘Then you won’t be on camera in this week’s episode,’ Jess says. ‘And since we see a 70% increase in phone calls while the episode is on, I’d assume you’d be going home on Saturday.’ Jess stares at Bela, refusing to back down. ‘Or we can show you sulking. I’m sure Dean loves a sulker.’

The tension is thick, and even Dick and Crowley are looking between the two women, not saying anything.

‘It’s really cool here,’ Charlie says. ‘It’s FantasyFest. You can be a fairy, or mermaid. Knight, Princess. You have to battle to be King or Queen, and audition to be their hand maiden’s, but if that’s what you want, I’m sure we could get you in.’

‘Me waiting on someone? I don’t think so,’ Bela says. ‘Well, do you have anything in here that doesn’t reek of mothballs?’

‘Help yourself,’ Charlie says, stepping away from the rails.

Her words act as a free for all, and then everyone goes towards the rails, browsing the material available to them.

There’s a heavy bundle of black material that Cas pulls out. It’s ragged silk arms and legs, with a leather waistcoat decorated with silver buckles. Attached to the brown belt are leather arm cuffs, and a head wrap.

Cas pairs it with black boots, and chooses a silver sword from the wall. He’s expecting it to be heavy, but obviously it’s not.

Cas pulls the whole ensemble on, till only his eyes are showing.

‘Looking good,’ Balthazar says, appearing next to Cas. He’s wearing leather trousers and a crop top, covered in chains and armour. He’s added a long shaggy wig to his head, and is holding a shield. ‘I really think we should team up and be the next Superhero movie. We’d make a killing.’

Cas looks arounds the tent. Most of the other contestants have gone for subtler costumes, like the tunics. Meg, Anna and Cassie are wearing long dresses, circle belts looped around their waists. Dick’s wearing trousers and a white shirt.

Bela’s got a metal bra and tiny skirt on, still in her heels. Charlie looks at them but doesn’t say anything.

Charlie herself is wearing a well-loved red tunic, the edge piped with silver, a yellow crest on the front, over beige trousers. Her hair is flowing down her back, and she looks the happiest Cas has ever seen her.

She notices him looking and gives him a once over, nodding her approval. Then she sees Balthazar next to him and busts into laughter.

‘I love it, Balthazar,’ she says. She’s opening her mouth to say something else, but that’s when Dorothy emerges from behind the rail of clothes she’s been changing behind.

She’s wearing a simple black t-shirt, slightly tight in the fit, and a short-flared skirt. Around her waist is a leather bow and arrow strap, the quiver on her back. She’s put a black wig on, that ends in a straight cut at the point between her neck and shoulders. There’s a necklace adoring her chest, a large silver circle, and she’s found time to do her make-up slightly more dramatic, with a flick of eye liner and dark lips.

‘I told you, you should see me in my costume,’ Dorothy says, walking over to Balthazar.

She’s the most confident in her outfit. Strutting is never a word Cas thought he would use in regards to Dorothy, but it seems to be the only one that fits as she walks around the tent, selecting arrows from the wall.

They’ve been instructed that they’re to step out of the tent one by one, and then they’re free to roam the festival, and do what they like. There are fifteen cameras outside the tent, just in case they all split off in different directions.

And to ensure that no one says too much about the show, and what the reaction is on the outside. Cas knows all the camera staff have been briefed by Jess herself about making sure if the public get too talkative the contestant is to be rushed away.

Jess is staying the whole three days with them, too, although she won’t be taking part in the festival.

They line up inside the tent, a mad scramble for last minute accessories and weapons. Dorothy is standing in the line, confidence just radiating off her.

‘Would it be terrible to stick to you for three days,’ Cas asks, standing next to her. Jess has said they can decide what order they go out in, and although there’s been no words said, Dorothy has ended up at the back of the queue.

‘Not for me.’ She looks at Cas, taking in the swaddles of material he’s covered himself in. ‘You know it’s probably going to get boiling out there later. Do you have anything to change into?’ Cas shakes his head.

‘It’s actually a pretty lightweight material,’ he says. He can feel a bit of breeze in the tent, but knows it will probably turn dry by noon. ‘I can always come back here if I get too hot.’

‘Sure, you could. But then you’d miss out on all the fun. This is just the staging area, and you don’t want to miss an hour out there because you’ve had to get changed. Here, find somewhere to take these,’ Dorothy says. She pulls a black t-shirt off the rail and hands it to him. ‘Just take to the cover of the trees and change.’ She looks at him once more. ‘Thief. I like it.’

‘What?’ Cas asks her, but there’s no time. They’re the only two left in the tent, and if he leaves it much longer he’ll ruin the flow of filming.

He puts his sword in a case he found, stepping out into the early morning sunlight. He looks straight at the camera, holding his head up, and letting an intense look settle on his face. Whatever character he’s supposed to be playing needs to be tough and ready. Needs to look like they won’t let people trample all over him.

He stays there for a couple of seconds, before Jess waves him off and he steps to the side, joining the others as they all wait for Dorothy to emerge.


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Cas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know very little about LARPing / duelling.

The next day finds Cas awake bright and early.  He stretches in his sleeping bag, then gets up, rubbing his lower back a little. He’s getting way too old for sleeping on the floor.

Charlie explained yesterday that her and Dean usually book a cheap motel to stay in when they go LARPing now, so they can at least have a bed.

Balthazar is still asleep in the bag next to Cas, as he leaves the tent carefully, trying not to wake him.

All the contestants’ tents have been set up around the changing tent, so Cas only has to walk a couple of steps in his jogging bottoms and t-shirt.

The first thing he notices when he steps inside is the smell of coffee. He follows it till he finds a table covered in paper cups and a selection of breakfast foods. Yesterday they’d had to eat from the stalls in the festival, so this is a welcome surprise.

Cas finds a black coffee and something to eat, going to sit in a corner of the tent. He appears to be the first one here, which is surprising. He’s not much of a morning person, doesn’t get up till eight most days and can’t function without a coffee.

Maybe it’s the nerves.

Yesterday was great, better than Cas was expecting. He never thought he’d be the kind of person who enjoyed dressing in costumes, and pretending to be a character for the whole day, meeting strangers and submerging himself in a fantasy world.

But he absolutely loves it. The language that most people use here, the polite old-fashioned way of talking. Walking through the greenery, lush fields and forest spread out on either side of the arena.

And everyone seems so happy. Chatter and laughter fill the air, and even those who are playing bad guys – Cas included – have a light in their eyes.

The tent opens again, Lisa coming inside. She smiles at Cas, then beelines straight for the coffee.

‘I didn’t think anyone else would be up this early,’ she says, coming to join him.

‘I’m not usually an early riser,’ Cas admits. ‘I think it’s nerves about today.’

‘Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll be great. I saw you in the training area yesterday, and you looked like you knew what you were doing.’ She gives his hand a squeeze. ‘Personally, I get up at 5am every morning.’ Cas almost chokes on his coffee. He can’t remember the last time he saw 5am. Probably when he was on a research trip for his latest book and had to stay up all night to try and see a spirit for himself. ‘It’s a yoga instructor thing,’ Lisa explains. ‘I like to do an hour before I need to get my son up and ready for school. I just don’t feel right if I haven’t done the poses first thing in the morning.’ They eat in silence for a few minutes, and then the rest of the contestants start arriving. It seems Jess is visiting them in their tents, keen not to waste a minute of filming.

After everyone’s eaten, they all get back into their costumes from the day before. Cas puts the tight fitting black t-shirt on, then the trousers, boots, waistcoat and scarves over his face. Yesterday it only took an hour for him to be too hot in his full costume, and it’s another bright day today. He places his sword in his belt.

‘Hey, I didn’t know you had a tattoo,’ Charlie says, approaching him. Like a lot of the contestants Cas had changed in the middle of the tent. He’s not got a bad body – he’s a runner, and there’s a gym in the basement of his apartment building – and everyone’s seen it all anyway, when they get into the pool back at the main house.

‘Yeah. My first book was on the study on angels, and during my research I came across this. It’s Enochian. It’s supposed to stop the angels from finding you.’

‘Why would anyone not want angels to find them?’ Charlie asks.

‘You’d be surprised. I learnt a lot about angels, and there weren’t all goodness and light.’

‘Can I have a closer look?’ Charlie asks, and Cas lifts up the hem of his t-shirt to show her. The writing is on his right hip, four lines of black symbols. ‘That’s so much better than my one.’ A few other people have come over to look at Cas’s tattoo, and he shifts a little. Having ten pairs of eyes staring at your hip is off putting. ‘Mine’s Princess Leia straddling a twenty-sided dice. But I was drunk and at Comic-Con. I’d show it to you, but it’s not in a position I usually display.’ 

‘That’s okay,’ Cas says, dropping his t-shirt down.

‘Dean’s got a tattoo,’ Charlie says, and everyone’s ears perk up. ‘Right here,’ she says, touching Cas’ chest. ‘Actually, it’s kind of weird. It’s a protection symbol, but from demons. Him and Sam got matching ones when they were younger. I think drinking had been involved that evening too, but isn’t it strange that you’re protected from angels, and Dean’s protected from demons.’

‘That good?’ shouts someone. Everyone’s attention is snapped around to the camera that’s pointed at Cas and Charlie, the cameraman yelling over at Jess. She’s been watching the whole thing.

‘Yeah,’ Jess says, stirring from the side of the tent. ‘Right, everyone ready for another day of LARPing?’ Everyone gives a cheer. ‘Cas, I believe you’ve got something already planned for today?’

Cas, who’d forgotten for a moment, suddenly feels his nerves spike.

Yesterday Cas made good use of his character. As informed by Dorothy, he was playing the part of thief (or bandit).

He didn’t actually steal things, he mostly stuck to lurking in the shadows, and creeping people out, but he got caught up in something at the wrong time, and was accused of stealing.

Now he has to duel, to fight for his honour. At 2pm Cas will make his way to the duelling area where he will need to win the battle from the stall holder who’s accused him.

‘A duel,’ he says. Jess nods.

‘Well, I will see you then. Let’s go people.’ She ushers everyone out of the tent, ready for another day.

 

**

 

The morning seems to pass in a blur. Cas spends it with Dorothy and Balthazar. He watches Dorothy dominate in the archery contest, and thinks he spies a flash of bright red hair on the side lines, but Charlie’s gone before they can say hello. Balthazar gives a juggling show, winking at the ladies and flirting with the gentlemen. Which is great, until they find themselves running because he’s hit on the betrothed Princess and her Prince isn’t very happy. Balthazar doesn’t much fancy spending the afternoon in the stocks, so they run, laughing until they reach the safety of the trees.

Cas spent the afternoon yesterday practising duelling, but the closer the clock – or the sun, because watches aren’t allowed here – creeps to 2pm, the more Cas feels his nerves climbing.

He knows it’s just a little bit of fun, that even if he loses his friends will clap for him, and that being in the stocks isn’t the worst thing that can happen. Might even be fun for ten minutes or so.

But he can’t help feeling that he’s battling for more than his honour. He’s also battling for Dean and what better way to prove to the public that he’s deserving of winning _The One_ than by literally winning a duel?

Dorothy and Balthazar walk him to the area where the duel will be taking place – a small circle on the other side of the field from their tent. Meg and Lisa are hanging out on the side lines already, cheering for him, and Bela’s even there, although Cas thinks that may be a coincidence. She’s lying on her back, sunbathing, the cameraman next to her, doing the same. He’s given up on filming, the camera resting on the grass next to him, pointing at Bela.

Garth appears with Anna at his side, fairy wings on their backs, and then Cassie and Aaron turn up.

Cas feels a rush of warmth as he looks around at all these faces. They’ve only known him for a couple of weeks, but they’re here to support him, cheer him on.

He takes his place on the starting point, bowing to the stall holder who’s accused him. There’s a moderator who announces to the growing crowd what the duel is about, and what will happen if they lose. Cas will be placed in the stocks for an hour, and the stall holder will have to publicly admit that he was wrong.

Apparently, that’s a big deal to the LARPing crowd.

The announcer steps out of the ring, pauses for a second and then swipes a flag with the symbol of the festival down the middle between Cas and the stall holder.

Cas draws his sword, parring the stall holder’s first thrust with the side of his sword. There’s a clanging sound, and then Cas steps to the side, the stall holder thrown a little off balance. He’s a big guy. Cas has heard that he’s been coming here for years, that he spends his whole time accusing bandits of stealing so he can duel them. He’s had years of experience.

But Cas joined the high school fencing team when he was 15, and practised every day after school. He won medals and junior championships, and although he’s a little rusty, as he moves around the circle, jabbing and sparing, pairing with his sword, counteracting the stall holders’ thrusts, it comes back to him.

Cas is lighter and faster on his feet than his opponent. He twirls the sword around in his hand, showing off a little. He’s having the time of his life right now. He knows it’s a duel to win, but it’s all in good fun. And he likes watching as the stall holders’ eyes go from thinking he’s a silly TV act – they had to get the guy’s permission to film the duel – to a serious opponent.

Cas is sweating within ten minutes. He’s worn the scarves over his face, to complete the bandit look, and it’s gone from being a bit of fun to something more.

Cas is determined to win.

Balthazar and Dorothy’s voices ring out above everyone else’s cheering him on, but he can’t risk a glance to them. He did once earlier, and if it hadn’t been for his sword swinging slightly to the right at the correct time, he would have been hit.

The stall holder is faltering a little bit. Most duels only last a few minutes.

Cas takes a step back, bringing his sword to his side, and ducking to dodge a jab. He springs up, swinging his sword at the same time, an undercut, and manages to just touch the tip of his sword to the stall holder’s chest.

The guy puts a hand to his chest and then the announcer is calling Cas the winner, and the screams from the crowd get louder. Cas is pulled into the middle of the ring, the stall holder at the side, clapping. There’s Jess at the side lines grinning broadly, and three cameras, all directed at Cas.

He removes the scarves from his face, grateful for the cool air on the newly exposed parts, and grins into the cameras.

 

**

Later, Cas find himself alone. He’s wandering around, eating a burger from one of the stalls. It’s supposed to be pheasant, but Cas thinks that’s just a marketing ploy. It tastes more like chicken.

Jess had given them all a budget to last for three days, although there are ways of making money, or bartering for things you want. It’s been a while since Cas has seen anyone from the show – except the cameraman following him – and he likes the peace. He’s arrived at the very edge of the field, where it’s more thickly shaded.

This is where they hide the portable toilets, Cas notices. A line of blue boxes stands just a few paces away from him, a few people waiting to go in. The sun is setting in the sky, making it a brilliant purple colour, the festival winding down for the evening. There’ll be campfires being set up, and in a few minutes the fairy lights in the trees will turn on automatically.

Cas is about to leave, go back to the main tent and catch up with everyone, when the door to one of the toilet’s opens and Pete steps out. He’s in a dark green tunic, still in his cowboy boots, long hair tied up behind him.

Cas goes to wave, but stops when he notices a woman emerging from the same toilet Pete came from. The white dress with a red plus sign marks her as one of the medical team.

Pete looks around, but doesn’t spot anything too troublesome, as he leans in and kisses the woman.

Cas takes a step back, only now remembering the camera behind him. When he turns, the lens is pointing straight at Pete.

The main thing in Cas’s mind is how gross it is. Not the fact that Pete was doing something with someone else when he’s supposed to be here for Dean, but even watching them kiss near the toilet’s is making Cas’s stomach turn. He doesn’t even want to think about what they got up to in there.

‘You going to show that to Jess?’ Cas mutters to the cameraman behind him. There are so many of them, there’s been no point learning all the names. He’s not even sure he’s been told them. They’re always swapping around – this isn’t the same guy he had filming him at the duel, or the same one as yesterday.

At least he doesn’t think so anyway.

‘Jess has a tablet that shows her each camera’s every view. Plus, Pete’s not as subtle as he thinks.’ The guy nods to where another cameraman is hiding in the shadow of the trees, camera trained on Pete. ‘She’ll just have a couple of different angels to show it from.’

Cas turns from the toilets, the cameraman hurrying after him. He has to stand a little way back to make sure Cas is still in the frame.

‘Will Pete be kicked off?’ Cas asks. The cameraman shrugs.

‘No idea. It’s never happened before. Well, it’s been a house full of straight men, so of course it’s never happened before. I presume it’ll be down to Jess.’

Cas nods, as they make their way back to the main tent. The contestants – or at least most of them – have decided to have their own little campfire tonight. Jess has promised to provide marshmallows, crackers and chocolate sauce for them to make s’mores.   

When Cas arrives, almost everyone is already there, sitting around on logs, still in their costumes from the day. Dick is nowhere to be seen, and Pete is obviously still back at the toilets. Nick, Garth and Lisa are also absent.

Cas slots into the place Meg’s been saving for him.

When he came into this, he wasn’t sure if he’d be the one finding a husband here. But as he looks around, at Balthazar and Aaron trying to make a gigantic s’more, Dorothy and Charlie sitting next to each other and laughing softly, Meg offering him a drink and all the others, he thinks maybe he’s found a family.


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Cas

The next morning, Jess comes to get them up a little later than the previous days. Cas is woken to her sing song voice outside the tent. He stretches, then sits up, rubbing his hands over his face. He loves this, he really does, but he’ll be glad to get back to a proper bed and a hot shower. They’ve got outdoor ones here, and he knows a few of his fellow contestants have made use of them showering in their bikinis, or trunks, but he can’t bring himself to.

‘You know once this competition is over we should find a local one of these,’ Balthazar says. He doesn’t sound like he’s been asleep for seven hours. Cas has always been insanely jealous that Balthazar is one of those people who just wakes instantly, his brain perfectly functioning. He doesn’t even drink coffee. ‘Imagine all this, but I’m actually allowed to hit on people. It’s like all my dreams have come true.

‘What happens if you win?’ Cas asks. Balthazar laughs.

‘I’m not going to win, we both know that. Everybody knows that.’ Balthazar crawls over to the tent flap, holding it open for Cas to climb out of. ‘That’s not why I entered.’

‘Why did you enter?’ Cas asks. He remembers the day Balthazar bought the forms over, saying it would be a laugh, and it would be unlikely they’d get in anyway. ‘If you weren’t hoping to find a husband at the end?’

‘Because I thought it would be absolutely hilarious – which I was right about – and because you refused to sign up to dating websites and this was the only way I could get you back in the game.’

Cas stops walking.

‘You did this to find me a date? Balthazar, that’s ridiculous. I was perfectly happy on my own. And you heard what Meg said the first day. What are the chances of me winning this thing?’

‘Oh, I know,’ Balthazar says. ‘It wasn’t so much about you winning as much as getting you to do something that would put you out there. After we get back from this people will be stopping you all the time in the street. It would be stupid for you not to take advantage. Although,’ Balthazar says turning to face Cas, ‘would I be wrong in thinking that you’d quite like to win? Snuggle up to Dean on cold nights, get to see him in his uniform…and out of it.’ Cas feels his cheeks growing warmer.

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ he says. Balthazar laughs.

‘Oh, come on, it’s written all over your face every time Dean appears on screen. You’ve got a crush on him.’

‘Isn’t that the whole point of this contest? So what if I have a crush. As long as I don’t get caught up and convince myself I could win there’s no harm done.’ But Balthazar knows him better than that. He gives him a pitying look, and claps him on the shoulder.

‘I don’t know. Keep being yourself and I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t win. You’re funnier than a lot of the others and more interesting. And with all that we’ve heard about Dean so far, I’m starting to believe that you two might even be a good fit.’

‘Balthazar no one in ten previous seasons of this show has found love. Why would this season by any different?’

‘It has to happen at some point,’ Balthazar says. They enter the main tent then, and the conversation is left outside.

 

The vans to take them back are coming at four, but they’re allowed to wander around until then. They’ve still got the cameramen following them, although since most of the contestants are sitting in an outdoor tavern, the cameras are on the tables.

Cas slips off the bench, promising that he’ll only be going to the toilet and then he’ll be right back. The cameraman – a different one from yesterday – gives him a sceptical look, but he’s two flagons of mead down so he lets Cas go.

There’s only a few hours until four, and the atmosphere is relaxed. The festival is winding down as well, this being the last day until next weekend.

Cas slips around the back of the tent. There’s no one else around, and the sounds from the festival are muted as he walks along the tree line. He’s still thinking about Balthazar’s earlier confession that he only applied for this show to get Cas dating again.

It’s not like Cas hasn’t been dating, although that might be a too loose term for what he’s been doing. He has short relationships whenever he’s travelling, going to dinner and drinks with someone and then back to theirs or the apartment he’s renting.

But Cas has a very strict pattern with writing his books. He’ll research the next creature he’s going to write about – each book has a theme, and contains about fifteen different creatures or spirits – and travels to the country he needs to be in for two months. Sometimes it runs a little longer if there’s more information he needs, or a bit shorter if there’s nothing more he can gain. He’ll come back to his apartment, craft the section in his book which usually takes another couple of months, and then he’ll be off to the next place until the book is released.

When the book comes out he takes four months off. A lot of places he’s been have dark history and he sometimes needs rest to shake it off.

Plus, he doesn’t like being back home. Sure, hanging out with Balthazar is great, but he splits his time between America and England. They really only see each other for those four months, or when Balthazar decides to come and visit wherever Cas happens to be.

But he’s got no other friends, and though he owns his apartment it’s small rooms, which he bought mainly because he liked the view from the office of the local park.

But it’s not a home, and Cas is starting to wish he had one of them.

‘What is going on here?’ Cas looks around startled, but there’s no one around that he can see. He pauses, trying to figure out where the voice came from.

‘I don’t know,’ says a different voice. Dorothy, Cas is sure of it.

‘Neither do I, but I know I feel like a bad person. You’re trying to win the hand of my best friend, to marry him, and I can’t seem to stay away from you,’ the first voice says. Charlie, Cas thinks.

He shouldn’t be here.

He inches over the forest, trying to be as quiet as possibly, but the leaves are rustling, and twigs are snapping.

He just prays it won’t reach them. They obviously need to have this conversation.

‘Well this isn’t easy for me either,’ Dorothy says. Cas sees a shadow moving in the thicket of trees ahead, a place he still hasn’t passed yet. Neither of them are bothering to keep their voices down.

‘It isn’t?’ Charlie says.

‘Of course not. Did you really think it was?’

‘I didn’t know what to think! At first I thought maybe I was just crushing on a straight girl and I was fine to leave it at that. But then I kept catching your eye and sometimes you’d be looking at me, and I thought I felt a spark, like maybe it wasn’t all in my head.’ There’s a pause. Cas wonders if it would be easier to turn back.

‘It’s not all in your head, Charlie,’ Dorothy says softly. ‘But there are a lot of things I’m trying to work though. I’m sorry you’ve been dragged into it.’

‘I haven’t been dragged anywhere,’ Charlie says, and Cas decides to turn back. There are port-a-loos on the other side of the field too. He’ll just say the ones here had a long queue.

He turns around, and there’s a loud cracking noise, as he steps on a twig, echoing throughout this quiet place.

There’s more rustling in the leaves, a few whispers and then Charlie emerges from the trees. Her hair is a little messed up, small leaves in the red, and she’s trying to play it cool.

‘Hey Cas. What’s up?’

‘I was just going to the port-a-loos,’ Cas explains. He looks around, trying not to focus on the place Dorothy is hiding. Charlie’s eyes are darting behind him, and Cas suddenly realises what she’s looking for. ‘The cameraman didn’t think that was worthy of being filmed.’

There’s rustling from the trees, and then Dorothy emerges.

‘Dorothy, what are you doing?’ Charlie hisses. Then she looks back at Cas. ‘We were just -,’

‘It’s okay,’ Dorothy says, laying a hand on Charlie’s shoulder. Cas looks at it, but then flicks his gaze back up to hers. ‘I trust Cas. He’s been the only person I can speak to about this stuff.’

There’s an awkward pause. Cas feels like he should say something, but he’s never been great at breaking the tension.  

‘How did you two manage to ditch the cameramen?’ he asks, the first thing that comes to his head. Maybe if he just pretends like this isn’t a big deal they can all relax.  

‘Said I had to grab something from the main tent and would be back in a minute. Really, I just wanted a moment to myself,’ Dorothy says. ‘But I bumped into Charlie and we were walking back and then, well there was a moment. We thought we should probably discuss things before something happened we couldn’t come back from.’

Cas nods. ‘I’m sorry. I should leave you alone. Excuse me,’ he says, making to go back to everyone else.

‘No, wait. Dorothy should come with you,’ Charlie says. She gives Dorothy’s hand a reassuring squeeze. ‘There’s not much we can talk about if you don’t know where your head is.’

‘This is such a messed-up situation,’ Dorothy says, but she grips Charlie’s hand like it’s her lifeline. ‘I don’t want to mess you around. I just don’t know what to do for the best.’

‘Hey, it’s okay. I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself,’ Charlie says. Cas feels like he shouldn’t be here, but he’s already offered to leave once. He looks at their hands, and feels a pang of loneliness.

Maybe Balthazar is right. Maybe he does need someone. ‘Just do what you have to do, and when this is all over, hopefully things will be a bit clearer. And then we can talk, okay. Without having to hide from the cameras.’ Dorothy nods, and Cas turns away to give them a private goodbye.

Dorothy appears next to him after a few seconds and they start walking back, in a comfortable silence.

When he glances back, Charlie is looking right at him, a worried look on her face.


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Dean

Dean’s a little surprised when Jess turns up on Friday morning. He’s going stir crazy being alone in the house on his own, so he’s glad of her visit, but there seems to be no reason for it. She asks him how he’s coping, and how he’s feeling about the upcoming elimination. He doesn’t really have any feelings about it. It’s a little hard to care about people you know nothing about.

Well, almost nothing. Dean is guessing that since the cartoon creatures drawing came after the first vote off the person who drew them is still in the running.

But all the drawing really tells his is what this person thinks about the others. He’s hoping he doesn’t end up with the guy who’s got devil horns, or the ones with snarling expression on their faces. And he finds himself wishing more than anything that C had drawn themselves.

‘How’s it going over there? Did they enjoy LARPing?’ Dean asks. Jess is sitting, drinking a cup of coffee, and just staring out the window. Dean’s sitting opposite her at the table.

The question brings a smile to her face.

‘Oh, it was excellent. The ones who got into it, really got into it. There’s some great footage. I was up all night actually, trying to figure out what to put in the episode tomorrow and what to leave out.’

‘That good, huh?’ Dean asks.

‘Well yeah, for a few of them. We had people who didn’t take to it quite as much as some others, but those that did – I have no doubt that if you end up marrying one of them they won’t mind going with you on the weekend.’

‘Yeah? That’s good to know.’ Dean sips his own coffee. ‘Do you think this is going to go the way of the other seasons?’ he asks. She focuses her attention on him. ‘Do you believe there’s someone in that house I could actually end up staying with? I mean you’ve watched every interview, have seen what goes on the website. You read all my forms and theirs.’ Jess shifts around a little on the chair.

‘Tell me again, Dean, what your perfect partner would be like.’

‘Okay,’ he says, pausing to think. ‘When I think of myself in a couple of years, on a Sunday morning, someone bustling around in the kitchen, making breakfast, I think of someone who’s left dark hairs on the pillow. Someone’s who’s got a rocking body, who’d I’d pick up for a one night stand in a bar. Nice eyes. Like really nice eyes. Good with kids. Someone who doesn’t mind travelling, because I like to visit different states when I’m not working, although they’d have to be okay with long drives.’

‘Scared of flying?’ Jess asks. Dean nods. ‘Funnily enough, given what you do for a living, I’m terrified of fire. Had a bad experience when I was a teenager.’ She tugs up the sleeve of the jumper she’s wearing, exposing the skin on the underside of her arm. There’s old burn marks there, jagged blotches of pink skin. ‘What else?’

‘Someone who gets on with my family, although I assume with this they’d get rid of anyone they don’t like next week.’ Dean feels a prickle of nerves when he thinks of next week. The ten remaining contestants are going to be spending one day each with his F&F. On Saturday, after the episode has aired, they’ll each pick one person to kick off the show. ‘You got anyone like that on your show?’ Dean asks.

‘A couple of them spring to mind, actually.’ Jess looks at him, and then blinks. ‘Thank you.’

‘For what?’ Dean asks, thrown. He hasn’t done anything.

‘There was something I was on the fence about, but you’ve just made my mind up for me. Sorry for being so frustratingly vague, but I promise you’ll find out everything when the show ends.’

There’s the sound of wheels crunching on the gravel outside, and Jess leaps up, hastily shoving her cup back onto the table.

Now it makes sense. Dean had forgotten that Sam was due back today. He’s been gone for a week.

Dean gives Jess a few seconds head start to go and say hey to Sam, before he gets up to follow her. He doesn’t want to walk into what could be a very PDA hello.

When he gets out into the hallway, he pauses. Jess and Sam’s voices are carrying though the slightly open front door to him.

Dean knows eavesdropping is wrong. But he needs every bit of information he can gather and if this is the only way he can get it, there’s not a lot of choice.

‘You look happier than last time I saw you,’ Sam is saying.

‘I am. Look, I can’t say too much, but some information about one of the contestants came to light. It’s not really to do with them per say, it’s more a family matter. Anyway, this other person threatened to go to the papers with the story, which would have been a disaster. We managed to contain it for now, but I felt like maybe Dean should know. If we’d known about it before hand we never would have allowed this person on the show.’

‘So, what, you’re not going to tell Dean about it?’ Sam asks.

‘No. He said some things, and I don’t want to take what could be something good away from him. Or at least the chance of it.’

Dean frowns. Something he said made Jess decide he didn’t need to know this thing about the contestant.

‘Okay, well you can’t not tell me now. If you’re not going to tell Dean, don’t you at least think I should know?’

There’s a pause, and Dean creeps closer to the door as Jess’s voice lowers.

‘One of the contestants has a brother in prison. For murder.’ Dean can almost picture Sam’s face, because he’s pretty sure his own mirrors it. It makes him feel a bit queasy, knowing he could be marrying into a family with criminals in it.

Sure, his family haven’t always followed the rules, but murder? That’s a whole different ball game. Dean’s not so sure he could pretend to support that.

‘Murder? Jess, you can’t be serious. Dean’s not going to want to marry into that.’

‘There’s a lot more to the story. The contestant didn’t even know this brother existed, let alone that he was in prison. They didn’t try and deliberately hide it from us. It was just as much as a shock for them.’

‘Really?’ Sam says, sounding sceptical. ‘You believe that?’

‘Oh, one hundred percent. I gave them the news, and they genuinely had no idea what I was talking about.’ Dean thinks about this person, with a family member who just appeared out of nowhere, and feels his heart tug a little.

‘Well, random brothers turning up out of the blue, Dean can relate to.’

‘Right, you guys had a similar situation, didn’t you?’ Jess says. ‘Dean told us all about it. What’s his name, Andy or something?’

‘Adam,’ Sam says and Dean feels his stomach clench. It’s been seven years since the teenager Adam turned up on their doorstep, claiming to be John Winchester’s long-lost love child, and Dean still can’t seem to get over it completely.

They don’t see Adam much – he wants as little to do with them as they want to do with him – but it shifted the view between the whole family. Mary said she’d gotten over it, and her and John had never been one of those completely in love couples, but this had built a wedge even further between them.

‘Right, Adam.’

‘Will you tell me who this person is?’ Sam asks. Their footsteps crunch over the gravel, and Dean darts back into the living room, settling down in the same seat he was in a few minutes earlier.

If Jess tells Sam the name, he misses it. But he thinks about this person, who’s just found out he’s got a brother – and that’s got to being up some issues with the parents, who must have hidden it for years – and Dean’s heart goes out to them.


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Cas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a slighter longer than usual chapter. 
> 
> Also thank you so much to everyone who is commenting and leaving kudos it really means a lot to me. I'm so glad people are enjoying this story!

Cas tugs at his suit jacket, squinting in the heat. It’s way too hot for a jacket.

Not that he gets a say. He supposes he should just be grateful that they’ve done away with the tops and tails from last week.

The women are still in evening dresses. Meg’s being watched like a hawk, an assistant her constant shadow. This week she’s wearing a black ballerina like dress, with a netted skirt and they’ve allowed her to keep her boots on. Cas doesn’t think she’d destroy this one even if she had the chance.

Dorothy seems a bit happier with the dress choice as well. Hers is a long grey slinky number with a low back and jewelled design at the side. She’s admitted that it’s similar to a costume she once wore.

Cas looks down at his silver bracelet, the pie slice dangling down by his wrist. He imagines what it’ll look like with a red X next to it. Pictures the five who went home last week hanging out in one hotel room to watch the episode tonight. He wonders if any of them will be waiting at the front of the hotel to greet those who get voted off.

‘Chin up,’ Balthazar says. He’s adjusting the cuffs on his shirt. ‘You’ll be fine.’

‘You don’t know that,’ Cas says. ‘How’re you feeling?’ Balthazar is very good at hiding his emotions. Unlike Cas who can be stoic and expressionless when he doesn’t want anybody to see how he feels, Balthazar acts exactly the same. A little louder, a few more sarcastic comments tossed in, maybe, but the signs are hidden.

Unless you know him well.

‘Honestly, Cassie – ah, sorry, can’t call you that here, it’s too confusing – I think I might be ready to go. It’s been enjoyable, and Dean is very good looking, but the idea of marrying someone – anyone, really – is making me shudder.’ Cas bites back his grin. Balthazar is bored easily and it doesn’t surprise him that he’s suddenly feeling the nerves.

The opposite of what everyone else is feeing. Balthazar is getting cold feet about winning.

‘You’re not planning on doing anything drastic?’ Cas asks. He knows his friend – it would be just like him to quit live on air. And as much as Cas likes the other people here – most of them anyway – having Balthazar next to him this whole time has been what’s kept him sane.

Balthazar shakes his head. ‘Not this week anyway. It’s F&F next week. We get to go to Dean’s work, don’t we? And you know I’ve always had a thing for uniforms.’

Cas shakes his head, but the chairs are behind them and people are settling into them. Cassie and Crowley sit on either side of him, and Cas sits back. There are still a lot of them left, and he isn’t sure how much screen time he’ll be getting. Other than the duel, there’s really nothing to make him stand out from everyone else.

The credits roll, Jo appears with the silhouette of them behind her.

Dean appears, Jo next to them as they discuss the second task. Dean talks about how he loves the duelling, watching it and partaking and Cas feels a bolt of lust as he pictures Dean jabbing and fighting. In costume.

Then it’s them all finding out, the camera zooming in on Bela’s, Dick’s, Meg’s and Anna’s faces of disgust. Anna gasps from the head of the line in the garden, but snaps her mouth shut when everyone looks at her.

On screen, the contestants are boarding the coaches. There’s almost a minute of the first coach’s conversation, and then it cuts to Garth and Cas on the second coach. The camera is mainly focused on Garth as he tells his story, but Cas is there smiling softly and laughing in the right places.

He didn’t even notice the cameras. Could that mean they’d filmed him without his knowledge at any other times too?

He glances down the line to Dorothy. Jess wouldn’t really expose her and Charlie, even if they did have it on film, would she? They haven’t done anything wrong.

But Cas knows that Jess needs drama to spice up the show. It might not be bitch fights and cussing each other out, but one of the contestants falling for an F&F – that would bring viewers.

There’s a flash of red hair next to Jess, who’s sitting at the side lines again this week. When Cas turns to look more closely, he sees Charlie staring at him.

He turns back to the screen.

He’s missed the arrival, and most of them, himself included, coming out in their costumes. Dorothy is emerging from the tent, the camera staying on her for a full five seconds, as she turns, modelling the outfit.

There’s a break, and when _The One_ comes back Cas gets a glimpse of what all the other contestants were up to. Anna and Garth find themselves in a Fairy Cove, and decide to join, each donning a pair of fairy wings on their backs. They learn how to mix potions and put them into pretty glass bottles to try and flog to customers for aliments such as ‘sword-shoulder’ and ‘dragon bites.’

Cassie and Nick spend the time exploring each section of the area, separately. There’s Cas with Dorothy and Balthazar being accused and then challenged to a duel. Bela’s lying sunbathing, and Dick’s found a tavern to drink in. Meg and Crowley find another place to drink, settling down at opposite tables and glaring at each other.

Lisa gets a job as a ‘bar-wench’ and pours mead for people, laughing and joking with the customers, Michael finds an army training for battle and joins them, and Pete flirts with everyone he comes across.

There’s another break, and in the garden, people are moving around, getting ready for the vote off. Just twenty minutes or so until they go live.

Day two of FantasyFest dawns, Lisa doing her yoga outside. It moves on, and Cas is surprised that the whole tattoo conversation him and Charlie had makes it in to the show. Balthazar whoops when Cas pulls up his t-shirt to show his tattoo off, and Cas finds himself glancing at Charlie again. She’s still looking at him.

Meg and Balthazar have somehow gotten two rival gangs set up and are battling for places in the tavern, Crowley also setting up an illegal gambling operation. Cas has to admire their organisational skills.  

Everyone is doing the same as yesterday, and then it cuts to Dorothy, Balthazar and Cas. There’s Dorothy winning the archery contest, and Balthazar juggling.

And then there’s Cas in the duelling area, scarves over his face, his blue eyes standing out amongst all the black. The duel gets a full two minutes of screen time, although it does show those who came to support him as well, and then Cas wins.

He takes his scarves off, and grins that full blown one into the camera, standing there like he’s a worthy winner.

There are a few more wolf whistles in the garden this time around.

The nerves are building slowly inside Cas, but _The One_ is still going. It cuts to a figure in black walking towards the port-a-loos, and Cas feels his heart pick up. He knows it’s him, but the camera is following behind, so people can’t see his eyes. It could be anyone.

Cas glances along the line at his fellow contestants, but no one else seems to know what’s coming – not even Pete.

Cas waits, holding his breath, as the blue door opens, and Pete steps out. And then the woman.

The kiss comes, and now everyone in the garden is gasping. Jess is staring hard the screen, but Charlie has finally stopped looking at Cas.

She looks angry and confused instead.

It cuts quickly to the scene of the campfire, the ones who were there for it, sitting around, talking and drinking. And then Jo is on screen talking about joining her after the break for the second vote off when another five will be going home.

The adverts come on, and then there’s a mad rush. The chairs are taken and Jo is ushered in front of them. Everyone is darting looks at Pete, but no one is saying anything.

Cas feels like he can breathe properly for the first time since Tuesday. There’s no time for Dorothy and Charlie to be exposed.

He knows it’s not fair. That he cares so much about them not being found out, and couldn’t care less about Pete. But it’s different. Dorothy doesn’t know what to do, whereas Peter just couldn’t resist temptation.

‘Before we go live,’ Jess says, stepping up in front of them. Her voice is hard. ‘I would just like to remind you all that the phone lines are open all week for people to vote for their favourite to stay. There’s also an online vote. Both votes have only just closed and are being counted right now. If something that has aired might stop people from voting, the results of that will probably not show until the next public vote off. So, remember, if you are voted off, and someone you believe should have been isn’t, that is why.’ Her eyes linger on Pete. He doesn’t even look ashamed, just standing there, staring back at her. ‘I expect you to act with dignity, and you do not want to cross me.’

She steps to the side lines again, and there’s thirty seconds for everyone to adjust. Cas glances at his bracelet once more, before turning his gaze to Jo, who’s being counted in.

‘Good evening and welcome back to _The One!_ That LARPing episode had a lot going on, didn’t it? Your votes have been counted, so if you like someone I hope you haven’t left that line alone! Remember, no one is safe. And you’re voting for the person you’d most like to see Dean with.’ Jo grins into the camera. ‘As long-time viewers will know, next week the remaining ten contestants will be spending one day each with Dean’s F&F, and they will have the choice of who goes next week. Which means the voting lines will be closed until next Saturday’s episode where they will open for the final five.’ Jo turns to face them, the camera angle switching. ‘Now, we come to the moment you’ve been waiting for.’ Assistants come out in a line again, dressed in black.

The little charms in their hand hold Cas’s future. ‘Tonight, you will either receive a sword,’ Jo says, holding up a tiny little silver sword charm, ‘or the ever-familiar X.’ The red X is in the other. ‘Those with the X will leave the contest tonight and say buh-bye to Dean Winchester. Let’s find out who’s made it through, shall we? Gentlemen, the charms please.’ Cas’s arm is pulled back, something clipped on. The assistants leave, and Cas tries to carefully feel for the new addition to his wrist. If he could just know what it was, he’d have a moment to compose himself. But the chain on the charm it too short, and he knows both charms are light. There’s nothing to give it away, and he can’t move too much, lest he get accused of cheating.

‘Lift your arms,’ Jo says, and there’s a pause.

Then the arms are lifted and Cas’s eyes go straight to his bracelet.

There’s a sword.

It’s a sword. The smile breaks out on his face, and he brings his wrist closer, just to make sure he’s not seeing things. But no, it’s the sword, one hundred percent, a little point at the end which digs into his thumb pad.

‘Like I’d want to marry him anyway,’ Bela is muttering as she steps forward. Nick takes the side next to her, Aaron on her other. Cas’s heart sinks. It’s the first time he’s lost a friend in here, and he feels almost as bad as if he’d been voted off.

It’s going to be weird not having Aaron around.

Dick steps up next to them, smiling, like he doesn’t care. Maybe he doesn’t. He’s been very vocal around the house, about how he’s only doing this to raise the image of the snack company he owns.

‘This is mistake. This has to be a mistake,’ comes a voice, and everyone turns around to look at the start of the line. Anna’s taken a small step forward, but then stopped. She’s holding her arm away from her, like it’s diseased.

There’s a small red X dangling from it. ‘I was good. I’d be good for Dean. Can’t we do a recount?’ she pleads, eyes seeking Jess.

‘Sorry, Anna but all votes are final. Please take your position next to Aaron.’ On shaky legs, Anna walks forward, a few tears slipping down her face.

Cas feels sorry for her. She was so sure she was going to win.

Jo chats to them all, how they feel to be leaving, and apart from Anna who’s letting the tears flow freely, they all say they’re okay about it.

Jo gives the ending speech to the camera, stating again that no voting will take place this week, and then there’s a shout of cut.

‘You can’t do this to me!’ Anna says. ‘What am I supposed to do now?’ she asks. But Jo’s gone back into the main house, and Jess is chatting to someone. Anna whirls to face them.

‘I know you all think I’m being ridiculous, crying because I won’t get my wedding night.’

‘If you give me a couple of weeks, love, me, you, Vegas. What do you say?’ Balthazar calls out. Cas bites back his smile. He doesn’t want to flame Anna’s anger.

Anna glares at Balthazar. ‘You can laugh, but I was told when I went to the screen test that I would probably win this. That me and Dean would be hot. And at least I’m here for better reasons than some of you.’ Her gaze flicks to Cas, and Balthazar steps out of the line.

‘Darling, why don’t you come with me. We’ll discuss the trip to Vegas. If you don’t fancy me I’ve got some friends you might like.’ He gestures to the side.

‘Oh, what? Afraid little Cas is going to find out why he made it through to the show are you? Well, you know what, I think he deserves to know.’ Anna steps up in front of Cas, shaking her head back. Jess and Charlie are coming over now, and a few of the other contestants are giving him pitying looks. ‘The only reason you’re here is because the producers wanted Balthazar. They’d already rejected you, but then someone dropped out, and Balthazar refused to come without you. Do you know how I know that? Because we all met at a screening two weeks before the first episode aired. A little ‘getting to know each other’ mixer the show held. But you weren’t there.’

Cas stands still. He doesn’t know what to say. ‘There were nineteen of us that night, because whoever it was pulled out. When we heard, Balthazar cornered one of the producers and told him point blank that if he didn’t choose you to be the replacement he was dropping out too.’

‘What’s going on here?’ Jess asks, coming to a stop at the edge of the group. The other four who’ve been voted off are being led around to the cars that will take them to the hotel.

‘And everyone here heard him. Everyone knows you’re not supposed to be here Cas and yet you are. So, you can call me crazy and think I’m over reacting, but I was chosen to be here, and you’ve stolen my place,’ Anna says. Jess freezes.

‘Anna,’ Cas says. He’s glad his voice is coming out at a normal volume. ‘I haven’t stolen anything. The public decide who gets through.’ Anna gives a humourless laugh.

‘Castiel, if the producers on this show didn’t think you were good enough for Dean, why would the public? Whatever they’re keeping you around for, it’s not to win. I’ll probably see you in the hotel next week. Get off me!’ Anna shouts. Two security men have been approaching her from the side, but she shakes them off, her damage done.

She swivels on her heels, walking off to join the other four. Everyone watches them go, before all eyes turn to Cas.

‘Are we free to go back to our rooms?’ he asks Jess. She nods, and he unclips his microphone, handing it to one of the assistant’s who’s hanging around. ‘Thank you,’ he says.

He walks off, ignoring the shouts of his name being called.

 

*

 

‘Hey,’ says someone behind him. He hasn’t gone back to his room. He knows Balthazar will come knocking, and probably Jess. Maybe others as well. Instead he’s gone to the front garden, keeping to the shadow of the trees at the sides. He watched the headlights of the cars taking Anna and Aaron, Dick, Nick and Bela disappear down the road. He thought about the week it would be him in one of those cars.

‘I’m okay,’ he says. ‘You don’t need to check on me.’

‘Oh well, good. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you’re okay, but I didn’t come talk to you about that.’ He stops, and Charlie appears next to him. ‘I wanted to talk to you about me and Dorothy.’ He doesn’t really want to have this conversation either, but he can’t just blow her off.

‘Dorothy has spoken to me, but I’m not going to tell you what she’s said. It’s her business and I’m not going to repeat it. That’s not for me to do.’

‘Oh, well, no. That’s kind of what I was going to speak to you about. You didn’t say anything. Not to anyone.’

‘Did you really think I would?’ Cas asks. He can’t believe she’d think that. Maybe he’s not making the impression he thought he was.

‘Honestly, I don’t know what to think. It’s all so confusing. But, kind of, yeah. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think you’re a bad person. But I’ve seen the way you sometimes look at the screen when Dean’s on. I think you’re falling for him, and Dorothy’s a contestant. If you tell Jess what’s happening between us, she’d probably be kicked off the show. One less for you to worry about.’

Charlie sits on the floor, and after a moment, Cas follows her. He twirls a strand of grass through his fingers, shaking his other hand a little. After the three days of LARPing, the old injury has started to play up. It spasmed a little bit last night, and today it’s been aching.

‘Dorothy’s my friend. This place without her wouldn’t be half as good. It’s also not my place to say anything,’ he explains. The idea of telling Jess about Charlie and Dorothy has never crossed his mind.

‘In tonight’s episode, I know it was you. The black figure that led the camera to Pete and that woman,’ Charlie says.

‘By accident. I was exploring the area, and Pete came out. I didn’t follow him, and I didn’t know he had anyone in there. It never occurred to me he was hiding someone in a port-a-loo. And I didn’t know they were going to show it.’

There’s silence for a few minutes, both of them just playing with the grass at their feet.

‘You know, Dean’s loyal to his friends too. You both share that.’

‘Thank you, Charlie. But you should save the Dean facts for someone who might have a chance of marrying him.’ Charlie winces.

‘Yeah, I heard what Anna said. But she was just jealous. You have as much chance as winning this as anyone still left does. More so than others, I’d say, because seriously there are some people I am just not going to let end up with Dean.’

‘Thank you for saying that.’ Cas thinks about what Anna said in the green room, before the first episode. How America wasn’t going to vote for a gay wedding. He thinks about Lisa’s smile and how warm and welcoming it is, and how she knows all of Dean’s favourite songs because her son listens to the same bands. How Cassie’s sweet and her and Dean could talk about cars for hours. Michael and how much John likes him.

He thinks about Luke in jail, and how he wasn’t even supposed to be here. ‘But I don’t think it’s true. I’ve never even seen _Star Wars_ and I understand from a previous conversation that’s Dean’s favourite movie.’

‘You’ve never seen _Star Wars?’_ Charlie says. ‘How is that even possible?’ Cas just shakes his head. It’s not time to delve into stories of his childhood.

‘I don’t watch TV and I don’t listen to music. Well, a bit of classical here and there, but I gather that isn’t Dean’s thing. Even Jess mentioned something about me making it to just week three.’ 

‘For what it’s worth, Cas,’ Charlie says standing up and dusting her pants off. ‘I think you and Dean would make a great couple. And just so you know, if you do win this – which by the way, I still really think you have a chance too – the first date you guys go on after you get married and the honeymoon the show sends you on, is going to be coming to my place to watch _Star Wars._ ’ She holds a hand out to him, but Cas shakes his head.

‘I’m going to stay out a little while longer. It’s such a nice night,’ he says. He thinks she can tell he’s lying but she nods anyway, walking away.

Cas isn’t that bothered about only being here because someone dropped out. Or about Balthazar practically blackmailing the producers to get him onto the show. Something about it always felt a little rushed. Sure, he had some call backs, but there was silence for a few weeks after that. And then he got the call telling him he’d been chosen.  

It’s that everyone knew, and they hid it from him. There’s been no mention of that ‘getting to know you’ party since he’s been here. They’ve all thought he wasn’t a contender from the start, just someone to plug the gap.

The producers know everything there is to know about himself and Dean, and they didn’t think they would be a good match, even with everything in front of them on paper.

It wasn’t destiny that brought him here, and Cas feels like a fool for ever thinking it was.

 

*

 

Half an hour later, when Cas goes back to his room, he pauses just outside the door. There’s talking coming from inside.

Cautiously, he pushes the door open, surprised to see not just Balthazar in there, but also Dorothy and Charlie (sitting on opposite sides of the room), Meg, Lisa and Cassie. Jess is there too, talking with Garth, both of them on the bed while the others are on the floor. It’s a bit of a tight squeeze all of them in there together, but they don’t seem to be complaining.

‘Is this a pity party?’ Cas asks, crossing into the room. They all look at him as he enters, taking his jacket off and slinging it on the back of the door.

‘This is not a pity party. You made it to week three, none of us feel sorry for you,’ Dorothy says. She stands up, with a little difficulty, given the bodies in the room, and comes to give him a hug. ‘This is a ‘you’re our friend and Anna was really mean to you tonight so we came to see if you’re okay’ party. But without music, or snacks or decorations.’

‘What kind of decorations would you even have at that type of party?’ Balthazar asks. He raises an eyebrow at Cas, a silent question asking if he’s okay.

Cas gives him a slight nod in return.

‘You could have pictures of Anna’s face with like little crosses over them. Like the stop sign you know, so everyone would know she wouldn’t be allowed in,’ Garth says. ‘And we should have little cuddly monsters on the banners, so everyone knows it would be a hugging party.’ He stands up, crossing the room and giving Cas a hug.

The next thing he knows everyone is reaching arms around him, all of them trying to hug each other at the same time.

‘Okay, okay, I get it,’ he says, and everyone breaks away laughing.

‘We just wanted to make sure you were okay. And we’re sorry about not telling you sooner, but how do you even raise that in a conversation?’ Lisa asks. Garth opens his mouth to answer, but she gives him a slight shake of her head and he closes it again.

‘I’m fine. I get it. I wouldn’t have said anything if I’d been in your shoes, either,’ Cas says, although he wonders if that’s true. He always says he does things for the right reasons, but is hiding something like that from someone really for the best?

He thinks of his parents and how they lied to him his whole life.

But he can’t compare the two. He can’t.

‘Cas, I’m sorry the whole situation came about,’ Jess says. Everyone pauses to look at her. ‘And yes, we handled it wrong. We should have told you, but I told everyone to keep quiet. If you found out you were just a filler, I was scared you’d walk out on the show too. But please bear in mind, that this has no outcome on the results of the show.’ She exchanges a look with Charlie, and Cas knows they’ve been talking about what he said to her earlier.

‘You’ve gotten to week three completely off your own merit, and not just because of your smile. I would also like to remind you that in eleven seasons of this show, when every single contestant has been hand-picked by producers, not one of the couples have ever stayed together. You not being chosen from the beginning means literally less than nothing.’

It’s these words that have an effect on Cas.

Sure, he doesn’t suddenly magically think he’s going to win.

But whoever does win, probably isn’t going to be the love of Dean’s life. It’s a gameshow, some frivolous thing that has no real bearing or lasting effect on anyone’s life.

He smiles, officially declaring the ‘you’re our friend and Anna was really mean to you tonight so we came to see if you’re okay’ party open.


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Dean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mention of guns

Dean’s lying on the sofa, staring at the ceiling when the front door opens. He’s gotten pretty used to people just letting themselves into the building now, so he doesn’t bother to move. If it’s an axe murder, he assumes the faceless people behind the camera would do something about it.

And at least it would liven things up a bit.

‘Dean? Are you here?’ Dean sits up, letting the blanket he’d pulled over himself at three in the morning fall off him. He stands as his Mom comes into the room. ‘Hey, it’s good to see you,’ she says, coming and giving him a hug. He hugs her back, seeking out the clock on the wall over her shoulder. 9am.

He dozed for longer than he thought. ‘Whoa, Dean, when was the last time you showered?’ she asks, nose wrinkling. She takes a step back. ‘Or changed your clothes.’

‘Only a few days,’ Dean says but he takes a sniff and has to admit he’s a little ripe. He’s been working out quite a lot, since there’s not a lot else to do. ‘I’ll get right on it,’ he promises. Mary shakes her head, but pulls him into another hug.

‘It is good to see you. I know it’s only been a few weeks, but it’s not the same you not being around the corner, and Sam being down here too. I miss my boys.’ Dean stifles a yawn. If his mom’s here that means it’s the first day of F&F filming. Just a few more weeks to go.

Dean isn’t even bothered about the marriage at the end of it any more. At least that will mean escape. ‘How’re you doing?’ Mary asks. Dean goes to the kitchen to make his mother a drink, and try to clear the cobwebs from his mind.

‘Counting down the days,’ he calls back to her.

‘That bad?’ she asks, coming to lean on the side next to him.

‘It hasn’t been. And Sam and Charlie keep popping in, which is great, but there’s only so much we can talk about you know.’

‘What about Jo? Or Jess? Aren’t you seeing them this week?’ Dean shakes his head, handing her the cup of coffee and brewing an extra strong one for himself.

‘Nah. Since it’s the F&F week, you’ll all be doing your own introductions. I’ll probably only be in the first few minutes of the episode, the recap of what I’m looking for, so the viewers can see if any of the remaining contestants match up.’

Dean thinks back to the last season. He was at home then, watching it from the comfort of his sofa. He remembers the guy he hated, and the guy he really wanted to win, who got down to the last two but had the red X attached to his bracelet just before the wedding.

Dean knows the couple from last year have split now – it was all over the papers – and he feels a little justified. Maybe if his guy had won, they’d still be together.

Then again maybe not. He knows that after the wedding, and the wedding night, there will be a wrap party, and Dean will get to meet everyone who didn’t win.

It’ll be filmed and uploaded to the website.

‘That sucks,’ Mary says. Dean nods. He hasn’t received any more of the contestant’s drawings from Jo either, but he can’t share that. He guesses it’s a little difficult. There’s been nothing delivered to the house, and it would look suspicious if Jo turned up for no reason to talk to him.

Plus, Jo’s got her own life to live. Just because this is Dean’s life right now, for everyone else this is just another season.

‘So, what are you up to today?’ Dean asks, quirking an eyebrow at his Mom. She’ll be spending the day with the remaining ten contestants, at an activity of her choosing.

‘Am I allowed to tell you?’ Mary asks. She’s been back home since the first episode aired.

‘I don’t see what harm it could do,’ Dean says. The kitchen is wired with microphones and cameras. If they were doing something wrong, he presumes someone would say something to him over them.

The kitchen remains silent.  

‘I will be taking them to a shooting range. Jess found me a great one up here. I’m actually really looking forward to it,’ Mary says.

‘Interesting choice,’ Dean says.

‘Well, I need to know they’re going to be able to protect my boy. And that they won’t have a problem with us being gun owners. I know it’s a hot bed issue for some people.’ Dean nods, but doesn’t say anything. He and Sam have a gun in their apartment, hidden under the sheets on the top shelf of the hallway cupboard.

But it’s unloaded and they’ve both agreed to never pull it out. Dean knows his parents just want them to have one for their safety, and he knows his way around a gun, has done since he was old enough to be trusted not to accidently shoot it.

But if his partner wanted to have a gun free house hold Dean would throw that thing in the bin without a second thought. ‘I should get going actually. Just wanted to make sure you were okay since I was down this way anyway.’

‘I’ll be alright,’ Dean says. Time is becoming torture, but he can sleep and he found he could order books in his food shopping, so he’s got a couple of them coming later. ‘What’s the plan for the rest of the week?’ he asks. Mary hesitates again, but the speakers remains silent.

‘Me and your Dad came over last night, spent the night in the hotel. Hung out with some of those who’ve already been voted off, which made me glad there’s no chance of you ending up with them. My turn today, your Dad’s tomorrow. He might come and visit you after, because it’s an early start for them. On Tuesday evening everyone bar Charlie and Sam are flying to Kansas so they can spend the day with Benny at the fire station, and then they’ve got to come straight back here to spend the day with Charlie and Sam.’

‘Busy week,’ Dean remarks and Mary smiles at him.

‘It is. But it will all be worth it in the end. Remember that,’ she says. She gives him a kiss on the cheek and he walks her to the door.

‘Mom,’ he asks, waiting until she’s a few steps down the path. She turns to look at him. ‘Do you really think it will be worth it. You don’t think me and whoever I end up with will crash and burn like the other couples?’ Dean almost can’t stand that idea. That he’s spent weeks here for no reason, other to have a divorce on his records. He looks into her face, remembering how she used to sing him and Sam _Hey Jude_ before bed, and cut the crusts off his sandwiches; she wouldn’t lie to him. If there was no one there he could fall in love with, she’d tell him.  

‘I think we’re going to try our best to make sure you won’t,’ she says, and then she’s walking to her car, leaving Dean alone again.


	18. Chapter Eighteen: Cas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk of guns / non-fatal shootings / and being caught in a fire. 
> 
> Also probable medical inaccuracies 
> 
> Still it's one of my favourite chapters, and I hope you like it too.

Cas feels a wave of dread as they pull up to an unassuming block of shops. There are about ten store fronts all grouped around the side walk, offering everything from manicures to meat.

But somehow Cas doubts Mary has planned a shopping trip for them. His eyes alight on the grey building two from the end, and he stifles a sigh. He can’t let anyone see what he’s feeling.

He flexes his hand, and notices Balthazar giving him a look. Cas shakes his head.

‘Welcome everyone. It’s nice to see you again.’ Mary is standing in the small parking lot, cameras around her, smiling at them all.

Well, Cas assumes it’s a smile. It looks a little sharp to be natural and he knows that Jess has told her to try and put a happy face on. They wait as everyone climbs out of cars, then another few minutes as they sort everything out.

‘As you may have noticed, today we’ll be spending the morning in the shooting range.’ Mary waves at the building behind her, and even though Cas knew it was coming the feelings threaten to overwhelm him.

He’s been around guns since the army. Many of the places he travels to have them, sheriffs who give him a tour with one nestled in their belts.

He’s even shot a few in the years since it’s happened. Forced himself into shooting ranges, to try and get over the panic.

But it’s been a few years since he last felt the weight of one, and with his hand already acting up, he knows it’s going to be a tough day.

‘You want us to shoot?’ Cassie asks. ‘I’ve never shot a gun and I don’t intend to. I’m sorry. I really want to get to know you, but I’m not going to compromise my views just because of a show. I’m going to sit this one out.’ Cassie takes a step back, arms folded over her chest.

Mary nods. ‘Look, I respect your choice. I know a lot of people have issues with this and I get why. But you should know that Dean’s been shooting since he was a teenager. Goes hunting with his Dad, keeps a gun in his apartment. If you think that will affect you wanting to be with him, then maybe you should tell me now.’

‘Hey, okay!’ Jess is there, clapping her hands, shouting cut to the cameramen. ‘I know this is a touchy subject for some people, but I would just like to remind everyone that this is a family entertainment show. Light hearted. We’re not here to discuss the ins and outs of gun crime and whatnot, okay. Cassie if you don’t want to go inside that’s fine, we’re not going to force you, but understand it will mean giving up the chance to spend time with Mary.’

Cassie nods, and the rest of them are ushered into the building.

The smell of gunfire is faint, the echo of shots being fired only distantly heard from the lobby where they stand.

It takes a few minutes to get everyone prepped and ready, to go through the safety instructions. When they finally step up to their boxes, guns on the counter in front of them, Cas pauses for a second.

He can see and hear that no one else is having trouble with this. Not all of them are great shots, and Mary’s easily the best. Crowley and Michael are pretty good too though.

Cas picks the gun up, feeling the weight of it in his hands. He goes through everything he’s been taught, getting into the best position for him.

Then, as quick as he can, he shoots six bullets, one right after the after, hitting the target in front of him straight in the middle of each black X.

A few people have put their guns down to watch him, and Cas lays his down, then leaves the room, taking off his googles and going to sit outside next to Cassie.

 

**

 

‘You not a fan of guns either?’ Mary asks. It’s a couple of hours later and while the rest of the contestants have gone to a sandwich bar a few shop fronts down from the shooting range, Cas remains sitting on the bench in the parking lot. He slides down to let Mary have the seat next to him. ‘I saw you shoot. You’re almost as good as I am.’ Cas smiles.

‘I’m a little rusty. It’s been a while since I shot one,’ he says. He shakes his hand down by the bench, trying to starve off the phantom pain he can feel building there. He’s not sure if it’s still aching because of last week, or if it’s just because of what he’s spent today doing.

‘So, you do shoot?’ Mary asks. ‘You just don’t like it.’ Cas hesitates. He doesn’t really talk about his army days, doesn’t really count them. He was there for less than three months, and as a result had to have a year of operations and physical therapy.

‘I left medical school in my mid-twenties and joined the army straight from there. I liked the idea of travel, of helping people, of being part of that brothers-in-battle thing you hear so much about,’ he says slowly. He doesn’t know how much he should share here. In a few weeks Mary will just be someone he’s sort of met.

He’ll probably never see her again, and while nothing interests Cas more than a stranger’s story he gets the impression that Mary is someone who only really likes information that’s relevant to her life. ‘I was only in there for a few months. Someone accidently shot a gun and I ended up taking the bullet.’ He puts his hand on his lap, feeling Mary’s gaze on it. There’s a faint scar, but it’s so faded from all the years that have passed that he doesn’t even bother to point it out. ‘Only in my hand, so it wasn’t life threatening, but it did damage the nerves. I needed an operation to try and fix it. There’s a long story about that too, but to cut it short things went wrong and it still occasionally spasms or hurts. All the way up here,’ he says, tracing a line to his bicep. ‘I was discharged from the army and couldn’t practice medicine either, not while I was still in and out of hospital myself.’

‘But, effectively you’ve still been shot. And as such guns aren’t your favourite thing?’ Mary says. Cas nods.

‘It was worse in the beginning. I couldn’t even be around them. But I realised that was only going to add to my fear, so I went to the local shooting range and picked one up.’

‘They didn’t tell me,’ Mary says. ‘If I knew, I wouldn’t have bought you here.’

‘It’s okay,’ Cas says.

‘How do you feel about Dean having a gun? Would you make him get rid of it?’ Mary asks. Cas considers her questions. He’s never been with someone enough to know their views on guns.

‘I suppose, with whoever I ended up with, it would certainly be a conversation. If there was one in the house, kept out of way, maybe I could learn to live with it. I might run errands when it had to be taken out for cleaning.’ Cas is more afraid of accidental gunfire than someone actually shooting at him. It’s the unexpectedness of it, the sharp pain, the dull burn.

‘But, it would be a deal breaker if when we chose to have kids, whoever I ended up with refused to get rid of the gun then.’

‘I understand that,’ Mary says. ‘You want kids?’

‘I do,’ Cas says. There’s a silence, and then Mary tugs her arm out of the flannel t-shirt she’s wearing.    

The whole of her arm is covered is dimpled skin, a slightly darker pink than her natural colour.

‘When Dean was four, and Sam was six months old, there was a fire in our house. It was pretty brutal. I only just survived, but I got badly burned.’ She traces a finger over the marks on her arms. Cas stays quiet. ‘I thank God every night that they managed to get out safely, that John woke where he’d been dozing on the sofa and went to save them first, before coming back for me.’ Cas is honoured that she’s telling him this part of her history, but something is niggling at him.

‘How do you cope? With Dean and his job,’ he asks. Marys pulls a face, covering her arm back up.

‘Honestly when he left school and told me he wanted to be a firefighter I was angry. I couldn’t understand how he could willingly put himself back in places like that. But I came around. Ever since that night it’s all he’s wanted to do. Like the ones who pulled me from the fire, Dean’s only ever wanted to help save people. It’s hard sometimes. I still wait up when he’s on a late shift, and wait for him to call me when he gets home before I can sleep peacefully. And it’s a lot less running into burning building than people think.’

‘Everyone’s got something they’re afraid of,’ Cas says. Mary laughs, breaking the serious atmosphere.

‘Dean’s terrified of flying. Hates planes. If he can drive somewhere, he’s sure as hell going to get there that way, even if it takes an extra couple of days.’

‘I didn’t know that,’ Cas says.

‘Yeah. But Sam mentioned you travel a lot. For your writing? I guess planes don’t bother you.’

‘No. I like them actually. Being in the sky, flying over everyone on the ground.’ Cas bites his lip before he can admit that it makes him feel powerful, like some ancient being who’s watching the world spin.

‘Maybe Dean just needs someone to hold his hand,’ Mary says. There’s a burst of chatter, and the other contestants come spilling out of the sandwich shop. ‘Duty calls,’ Mary says, standing up. She walks towards them, Cas watching her as she interacts with the others still in this contest.

He wonders which one will end up being her whatever-in-law.

Which one will hold Dean’s hand on those plane rides.


	19. Chapter Nineteen: Cas

****

‘This has got to be a form of torture, surely?’ Balthazar asks. He’s standing next to Cas in a green tank top, and khaki shorts, already soaking from the rain. The paint stripes he’d drawn on his cheeks run down his face, giving him green streaks.

‘Please. If you want torture you should come and see my bedroom sometime,’ Crowley says. He steps up next to them, black pea coat wrapped around his body. It takes a few seconds before he’s soaked through too.

‘Is that an invitation?’ Balthazar asks, and Cas shakes his head. With the ever-dwindling pool of contestants Balthazar and Crowley have been flirting whenever they find themselves in the same room.

If Cas thought it was serious, he might actually throw up. He does not want to be seeing Crowley when this show is over. He’s okay in small doses, Cas guesses, but having had to spend weeks with the guy, Cas can’t wait to see the back of him. He spends most of his time blackmailing or bribing the assistants to get him whatever he wants, and only seems to care about himself.

Cas tries to picture Crowley and Dean together. He can’t quite make the picture work – if he thinks about them on a Sunday morning, having breakfast all he can see is cereal bowls thrown at the wall, milk on the floor, Crowley idly turning the paper as he waits for Dean to blow out his temper.

He's been doing this with everyone who’s left. Trying to picture what their Sunday mornings with Dean will look like, how long they’d last after the show ends.

He doesn’t think Dean and Crowley would make it to a month.

‘Are you guys ready?’ Michael says. He’s coming jogging out of the changing rooms behind them, looking the most animated Cas has ever seen him. ‘I think this is going to be the best day yet.’ The three men glance at him, sceptical looks on his face, then look out at their view again.

Below them is an army obstacle course. There are rows of tyres that they’ll need to step through, barbed wire to crawl under, a wall to pull themselves up on. There’s electric wires hanging from a covered wooden hut at the end.

There’s tunnels and rope swings at every twist and turn, and even Cas who used to occasionally train in this, feels his stomach dropping. It’s been years since he’s done anything this athletic.

Michael goes off to greet John at the start of the course, standing straight and still as soon he walks into the older man’s personal space.

‘You know, I always thought this would be one of those things you’d have to find the good in,’ Balthazar says. ‘Like you’d have to stand here, and say at least it’s not early in the morning.’ They were roused out of bed at 5am this morning so they could be here for 6am. ‘Or, it could be worse. It could be raining.’ Cas blinks up at the sky, which is unleashing the full weight of the clouds on them. The storm seems to have rolled in overnight, and Cas can tell this is only the warm up.

His mind flashes to the books he writes; about how some people believe storms are a sign of demon activity.

‘Don’t tell me you’re scared of a little rain?’ Dorothy says as she joins their group. She leads the remaining women over from their changing rooms, all of them in the same outfit as Balthazar. ‘It’s water, it’s not going to kill you,’ she says. ‘Even Garth looks like he’s enjoying this more than you,’ she says, nodding at where Garth is touching the live wires, and then yanking his hand back.

‘Garth is an idiot,’ Crowley says, and they all start to protest.

‘I’d rather spend time with him than you,’ Meg says. She looks the least happy of the women, arms folded over her chest, scowl on her face.

‘No one’s stopping you love,’ Crowley says.

‘We should get out of here before the fighting starts,’ Dorothy mutters to Cas and they take the steps down into the mushy grass, over to where John and Michael are waiting. Lisa and Cassie follow them, and Pete appears from the changing room a few moments later.

They’re given their instructions by a guy with muscles that look painful. He explains they’ll each get a turn at the course, and that he’ll be timing them all.

John will be waiting at the finish line, inside a little hut, staying dry. Once they’ve finished they’ll get to have a conversation with him, until the next person finishes.

They pick numbers from a baseball cap to decide the order, and then the others go back into another hut where they have a view of the course in all its glory.

Lisa steps up first, ponytail swishing behind her as she jogs at the starting line. The guy yells at her to start, and she’s off, stepping through tyres and diving into the mud. Everyone in the hut is clapping and cheering her on, wincing as she plunges into a ditch of water, or runs through the electric cables.

Cas is up fifth, after Lisa, Cassie, Pete and Crowley have gone.

Not that he has to wait that long. Crowley refuses to do it, taking a leisurely stroll around the course instead, an assistant behind him covering his head with an umbrella.

‘You got this Cas,’ someone shouts as he leaves the hut, but he’s not paying enough attention to see who. He lines up, takes several deep breathes, shakes his hand out once, and waits for the start.

 

**

 

It feels like seconds later when Cas hauls out of another water ditch, to find himself standing and panting at John’s Winchesters feet. The whole thing was kind of a blur, and if not for the pain in his ribs, and the shock of the electrics he can still feel tingling in his arms he’d swear it was a dream.

‘Not bad,’ John says. Cas can’t do much but pant at him. It was a lot tougher than he was expecting. He wonders how the others are going to cope.

And then he feels a smile blooming as he pictures Balthazar doing the course. He can’t wait to see that. ‘I wasn’t sure about you at first but that was kind of impressive.’

‘Thank you, Sir,’ Cas says, straightening up.

‘So, my Mary tells me you used to be in the army.’ John is looking at Cas like he’s a different person to him now he knows this. ‘You didn’t think to mention that when we first met?’

‘I was only there for a little while, Sir. I don’t really count it.’

‘You should. However long you were there for. You did your duty and deserve some credit for that.’

‘Thank you, Sir,’ Cas says again. John is silent for a moment, watching as Michael starts his go.

‘Mary mentioned you write now? That’s interesting. Novels?’

‘No, Sir,’ Cas says, explaining about the _Supernatural Information_ series. He feels John looking at him more and more, instead of focusing on Michael who’s sprinting through the course like it’s butter.

‘ _Supernatural Information?_ Yeah, I think I’ve heard of that. Sam’s obsessed with it. I’ve read a couple of them myself. Not bad.’

‘Are you interested in the supernatural?’ Cas asks.

‘A little,’ John replies. ‘Used to be obsessed with a book series of the same name when I was in my teen years. Books about two brothers who went out and hunted down all types of creatures. Man, I loved those books. Used to pretend I was a hunter. Saving people, hunting things. You ever heard of those?’

Cas gives a short nod, ignoring the onslaught of feelings those words have had on him. ‘Dean’s a big reader.’ John gives a little laugh. ‘He used to come downstairs every morning with a book in his hand. Spent a whole month quoting Vonnegut to us over the breakfast table.’ Cas smiles but doesn’t respond. He feels like an intruder when he finds information out about Dean now. He shouldn’t be the one hearing this; it should belong to Lisa or Cassie. Maybe even Michael.

Cas and John stand in silence for a while longer, watching Michael complete the course. The white top he’s wearing is sticking to him showing off the muscles on his arms and stomach.

He looks fit and strong. A suitable husband for someone like Dean.

Cas applauds when Michael comes up, standing straight as soon as he pulls himself out of the water ditch. He’s barely out of breath, and Cas bids them goodbye, before joining the other finishers in the hut.


	20. Chapter Twenty: Dean

‘Dean? You in here?’ John lets himself into the house, and Dean closes the book he’s spent the day reading. He glances at the clock, surprised to find it’s nearing 3pm. He didn’t realise so much time had passed.

‘Yeah, Dad,’ Dean calls out. John comes into the living room, nodding at him in greeting. Dean gets up, ready to make coffee, but John waves him off.

‘I’ve drunk so much coffee today I’m going to be wired all night. I tell you, they really wanted to make sure none of us caught a cold.’ John rubs his neck, and Dean sinks into the chair opposite him.

‘Fun day?’ he asks. John snorts.

‘I’ve seen some things, I’ll tell you that. I thought the point of this was for them to impress us, try and win our favour.’

Dean makes a noise of agreement but he can’t help hiding a smile. Not a lot of people relax around John Winchester but if there’s someone out there who didn’t bow to his rules, they’ve got Dean’s respect.

‘What did you do with them anyway?’ Dean asks. His Mom didn’t seem to know when he asked yesterday.

‘Army obstacle course,’ John says proudly. ‘Best one that Jess woman could find.’

‘They must love you,’ Dean says. He looks out the window at the rain still pattering against the glass. The idea of even being out in the earlier storm makes him shiver.

‘Ah, some of them were good. Some of them impressed me actually, I didn’t think they had it in them, but boy did they prove me wrong.’ Dean’s dying to ask for more details but he bites his tongue. He’s pushing his luck enough as it is with the drawings, and asking for details about how well his F&F are getting to know them.

‘Anyone you liked?’ Dean asks instead.

‘Yeah,’ John says, a smile lightening up his face. Then he looks at Dean, and his smile fades a little. He takes in Dean sitting straight up in the chair, serious face on. ‘Tell me, what are you looking for here? Do you actually think you could find something real?’ Dean, taken aback by the subject change, shrugs.

‘Shouldn’t you be the one telling me that? I don’t know jack about those people still in the contest.’

‘But if there was someone there who you could possibly like. Would you try? Or is this just fun and games to you, a way to get six weeks off work, and get at least one date at the end of it?’

Dean looks at his Dad, at the intense gaze on his face. They’re not really ones for heart to hearts, but if John is struggling with this, Dean guesses he should throw him a lifeline.

‘I’d be disappointed if all I got was a date from this,’ Dean tells his Dad. ‘Those producers are supposed to know every single little thing about me and if they’ve selected people who have nothing in common with me, it would feel like a waste of time. I’m ready to settle down, and this seems so far out of the box that it has to work. I’ll feel hopeless if it doesn’t.’ John sits, back, still gazing at Dean. ‘Why?’

‘Ah, I’m just struggling a little,’ John admits. ‘I know who I like, and who I don’t, but as Sam said after we first met them it’s not about us. It’s about you and if you’re looking for something that could last then I should probably re-think my vote.’

John stays for a while longer, him and Dean not talking about much. Mostly about Benny’s upcoming visit – he’s flying back with the contestants tomorrow, so he can be here for the live vote off.

‘How’re you coping? I’d go mad stuck here for weeks,’ John says, looking around as he gets ready to leave. His eyes fall on the book Dean’s left on the coffee table.

‘I’m doing okay,’ Dean answers, but he doesn’t think his Dad is listening any more.

‘Vonnegut, huh?’ John asks nodding to the book.

‘Yeah. I haven’t read much of him since high school, and I just picked it up today. I’d forgotten how much I liked him.’

John nods again, then pats Dean on the shoulder, heading back into the storm.


	21. Chapter Twenty-One: Cas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have never been in a fire station, so if this isn't what they're like, my bad. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for the nice comments. We're halfway through the story now, only another twenty chapters to go. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Cas wakes on Wednesday morning, not knowing where he is. He doesn’t panic – it’s a regular occurrence in his line of work. Unfamiliar hotels, sometimes people’s houses if he’s staying with a family to research their haunted painting, or cursed teapot.

He turns over, listening to the rustle of the bed sheets, letting his surroundings come back to him. He’s in Kansas. They’re going to be spending the day at Dean’s fire station today, seeing what he does.

His mind flies to Mary, and her story about being caught up in a fire. He can’t imagine going through that, and having a son as a firefighter.

Not for the first time he feels a flash of admiration for Dean’s Mom. He’s not sure he could let someone he loved be around guns all hours of the day, and his wasn’t even as bad as hers. He didn’t almost die.

Cas gets changed into jeans and a t-shirt, wandering down to the hotel lobby a few minutes later. Everyone is already there, and Balthazar hands him a Styrofoam cup of coffee as soon as he approaches the little group.

Sometimes Cas is really grateful he’s still got Balthazar in his life.

‘You ready for today?’ Dorothy asks. A lot of the group had been interested in why he’d left the shooting range, and he’d told them his story.

He’s getting a little sick of people looking at him like he’s a kicked puppy.

Cas nods. He’s never been to a fire station before. He knows today is mostly going to consist of sitting around in the staffroom area with Benny, so that they don’t interrupt the others who are working, but he’s a little excited.

They’re dispatched three to a car, their microphones already clipped to them, and taken to the fire station.

Cas has been in Kansas before, on a couple of occasions. There’s a very interesting cemetery attached to a church which is believed to be a ‘gate to hell.’ He spent a couple of months here, researching that one.

Plus there’s a haunted hotel, and a house that was believed to have a poltergeist living in it. That was one of the scariest nights of Cas’s life, staying there.

But he hasn’t been back for a couple of years. He’s surprised when they pass the graveyard he wrote about, even more so when they come to their destination less than twenty minutes later.

He was that close to Dean.

As quickly as that thought settles on him, he shakes it off. It’s nothing to do with him.

Benny is standing outside the fire station, flat cap on his head. He doesn’t look delighted to be giving up a couple of his days off to talk to a bunch of people he’s only met once.

He greets them all, though, needing a couple of reminders for some of their names. Cas guesses he isn’t keeping up with the show.

Benny takes them inside, giving them the guided tour. There’s a little excitement in the air when they see the pole, and Cas is glad some of the earlier contestants have gone. He can just imagine what they’d be in for this afternoon if they were still here.

‘And this is the sleeping quarters. If you’re on a night shift, you can try and get some shut eye up here till the alarm rings,’ Benny says, letting them into modest spaced rooms. There are a couple of bunk beds shoved up against each wall, a wardrobe in the far corner.

They follow him back down to the kitchen area, where a couple of other firemen in uniform are standing around, chatting. They soon stop when they see the contestants following Benny in, smirks on their faces.

For the first time, Cas understands what it’s like to be on one of the biggest shows on television. People are staring at him, and Cas knows the kind of information they’ve been privy to – they know about his tattoo, and his fencing, about his writing and his friendships.

And yet he knows nothing about these people. Not even their names  

Before he can get too bogged down in those thoughts, they all sit down at a large table, Benny looking around at all of them. His gaze lingers on Cas just a little longer than the others.

‘How often do you put yourself in life and death situations?’ Cassie asks. Everyone looks at her, startled. Cassie’s been quiet throughout most of the contest, but this week she’s been really vocal.

‘Whenever it calls for it,’ Benny answers. ‘But aren’t you the lady who drives monster trucks for a living? How often are you in a situation that could end badly?’

‘I drive them and that’s all I do. I’m not a show woman, or a stunt driver. Mostly I take care of them, checking to make sure they run for the guys that put on the performances and drive them to the performance area.’

‘Huh,’ Benny says. ‘You got a problem with Dean and what he does for a living?’

‘No,’ Cassie says, a little too forcefully. ‘Look, I’m beyond grateful that there are people in this world who take on the dangerous jobs to keep us safe. But don’t you think it’s a little terrifying? How does your wife feel about it?’

For the first time Cas notices the wedding ring on Benny’s finger.

‘My wife is fine with it. Like any job, she knows there are risks. But no one is truly safe in this world. You could walk out onto the street and get hit by a bus. And as you said, at least this way I’m helping people.’

There’s an awkward silence, which no one seems in a hurry to break. ‘Anyone else have an issue with Dean’s job?’ Benny asks. Cassie huffs a little, but doesn’t say anything.

Cas shakes his head when Benny’s gaze lands on him.

‘I understand the pressure,’ Pete says. ‘I’m a highly trained surgeon and sometimes it overwhelms me. I’ve got peoples’ lives in my hand, you know?’ He looks like he’s about to cry.

Until Crowley flicks a wadded-up piece of paper at him.

‘You’ve got less medical training than anyone at this table. I, at least once went on a first aid course,’ Crowley says.

‘I bet I know more medical jargon than you do,’ Pete says quickly.

‘Bully for you. You’ve learned some lines from the world’s worst medical drama and think that makes you a doctor. It makes you an actor. And you’re a pretty shoddy one at that,’ Crowley says back. Balthazar gives him a small clap, but stops when everyone looks at him.

‘I wouldn’t let Dean hear you insult _Dr. Sexy,’_ Benny says. ‘It’s his favourite show.’

Pete looks around smugly, and Cas kind of wishes Crowley would flick another piece of paper at him.

They spend another hour in the fire station, just talking. Cas tells them a little more about his job, the creepy places he visits on a regular basis. He and Benny chat about the graveyard, which Dean was apparently obsessed with when he and Sam were younger. They used to take their bikes and try to get inside the church, hoping they’d find skeletons inside.

Lisa asks if that means Dean lives near, and they get chatting about the houses in Kansas, and then move onto the schools. Benny’s got a son, who’s just a few months younger than Lisa’s.

Cas finds himself thinking how nice that will be for them. They can go on family trips to the park, and Dean can scare them both silly with ghost stories.

He does the Sunday morning image test on Lisa and Dean. He pictures them already up and about, Lisa in her yoga gear, Dean keeping an eye on Ben in the garden. They’d have something like fruit for breakfast, and Dean would lean to kiss her forehead as he took the dishes inside, while Lisa sat with the days paper.

He imagines Dean teaching Ben how to fix cars, and taking him LARPing on the weekend.

They’d be a good family.

Cas feels the pang in his chest. He tells himself it’s because he wants a family; it’s not because he’s picturing Dean with someone else.

He can’t have fallen for Dean Winchester.

It’s the worst thing he could possibly do.

And yet, as Cas walks out of the fire station, a few of Dean’s work mates waving bye to them all, he can’t help thinking he’s already gone.


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two: Dean

‘It’s good to see you, brother,’ Benny says, clapping Dean on the back and releasing him from the hug. ‘Sorry for the late night trip but the flight only just got in. I tell you, seven hours with those people you’re supposed to be marrying? Never again.’ Benny shakes his head, and makes himself comfortable on the sofa. ‘Aw, that’s better.’

‘Not everyone thinks they’re so bad,’ Dean says, grabbing a couple of drinks from the fridge. He hands Benny a beer, and he takes it gratefully. ‘Sam and Charlie even like a couple of them.’

‘I grant you, they’re not all terrible.’ Benny shakes his head. ‘But it wouldn’t be a shame if some of them were never to be heard from again. I suppose a few of them would be alright. In small doses.’

‘Anyone I’d like?’ Dean asks. He doesn’t care that he’s skating dangerously close to the edge. Benny’s not stupid enough to let anything slip, and even if he did it’s not like Jess could do much about it. She can’t call the whole thing off because Dean accidently learnt the name of a contestant.

‘Sure, sure. A couple actually.’

‘You know I keep hearing that,’ Dean says. A couple. The way his family talk that could mean anywhere between 2 to 4.

But maybe it is just two. He tries to conjure up an image of a person, someone his family will think he’ll like, but he’s drawing a blank.

‘Well then, what are you worrying for? If everyone’s told you there are at least two people still left who you’d like, isn’t that enough? Don’t you think we’ve all got enough brains in our head to vote off the ones you wouldn’t get along with?’

‘Ah, Benny, I don’t know anything anymore. I feel like I’m losing my damn mind in here every second of the day. I’m starting to think I’d make a deal with death just to escape.’ Benny gives him a funny look.

‘A deal with death? You don’t think that’s a little over dramatic?’ he asks, sipping his beer.

‘I don’t mean it literally. Like I said my head’s all messed up. And Sam left a book here, last time he was over. It’s probably a little too much night time reading.’

‘Sounds like an interesting book,’ Benny says. Dean runs his hand over his face. Just two more weeks. He’s on the home stretch.

He still feels flat.

‘It is actually. It’s part of that _Supernatural Information_ series, by uh, what’s-his-name. I can’t remember, but Sam’s obsessed with them. This one is all about death and the other three horsemen of the apocalypse. The breaking of the 66 seals to release Lucifer and bring about the end of the world.’

‘Huh,’ Benny says.

‘If you want I can lend it to you,’ Dean offers, but Benny shakes his head.

‘No thanks brother, I’ve got enough horror stories to contend with. You seem like you’re enjoying it though.’

‘I am,’ Dean admits. He hasn’t really thought about it all that much. Only now realising how he’s quickly become obsessed with the book, staying up till the early hours of the morning to read it. ‘Some of those places he’s visited, I mean don’t get me wrong, they’re creepy as hell, but there’s something so interesting about them. He’s got a few photos of them, inside the book, and some even give me the shudders. I swear you’d have to be crazy to enter.’

‘Maybe he is,’ Benny says.

‘People say the same about us running into burning buildings. I know there’s a difference, but you can just tell from his writing that he’s really passionate about what he does.’

‘If you say so,’ Benny says. The microphone in the corner frizzles, and then cuts, both of them looking over to it.

They spend a few hours on the sofa, Benny catching Dean up on the latest goings on at the fire station.

They say their goodbyes, standing at the front door, the sleek car showing up moments after Benny announces he should be off.

‘Do you know who you’re voting off?’ Dean asks. Benny gives a long sigh, looking at him.

‘I’m not going to tell you anything, you know me better than that.’ They’ve been friends for years, ever since Dean showed up at the fire station a newbie, fresh and ready to learn, Benny already having worked there for a few years.

‘I wasn’t asking for details. Just if you know.’ Benny rubs his hands together, mulling it over.

‘I have a person in mind, and good reasons for letting them go. But, we’ve all got to get together and discuss it and it might be that someone else wants to get rid of the same person, or thinks that my reasons aren’t good enough for cutting them. It all depends.’

Dean nods, and says his goodbye to Benny. He won’t be seeing him now until the wedding, since as soon as this week’s filming is finished he’s flying straight back to Kansas.

As Benny is getting into the car, Dean shouts out, the author’s name from the _Supernatural Information_ series coming to him.

‘James Novak. That’s who writes them!’


	23. Chapter Twenty-Three: Cas

‘You got me up at midnight to ask me that?’ Cas asks Jess. He’s leaning on his doorframe, blue robe wrapped around him, blinking sleepily at her. He hasn’t been in bed long as it is, and when the knocking on his door sounded he assumed it was some kind of emergency.

Not ‘do your books have an author photo in?’

‘It’s crucial. We need to know. Now.’ Jess looks efficient as ever, like she’s only just stepped out of her house.

‘Not as far as I can remember,’ Cas tell her. ‘Oh, wait, maybe my latest one. The re-print. I did have to go to a photo shoot for that, public interest or something.’

‘And what book was that?’

‘Pagan gods and goddess,’ Cas answer. A smile breaks out on Jess’s face. ‘Is that a good thing?’

‘Oh, it’s excellent.’

‘Is there any point in me asking why? Would you tell me?’ Jess narrows her eyes at him, summing him up.

‘No, sorry. Need to know basis only I’m afraid and you do not need to know.’

‘Okay. Can I go back to bed now?’ he asks, stifling a yawn. Jess nods, ponytail bouncing perkily between her shoulders.

‘Sorry to bother you, and I promise I wouldn’t have if it wasn’t important. I’ll see you tomorrow Cas.’ He watches her walk down the hallway, then shuffles back to his bed, falling instantly asleep.

 

**

Laughter floats over to him and Cas glances idly at the pool. Meg and Balthazar have challenged Crowley and Cassie to a game where the point seems to be knocking the girl off the guy’s shoulders.

He yawns again, covering his face with his hand. He doesn’t understand how they’ve got so much energy.

For their day Charlie and Sam chose to have an evening meal out in the garden with the contestants. Cas is still sitting at the long table, dirty plates and glasses in front of him. The sun is setting in the sky, turning it a deep orange, and for the second time while being here Cas feels happiness settle over him. If nothing else this has given him that feeling back.

It was worth it, even if he doesn’t end up with Dean.

‘So much for waiting an hour after eating,’ Charlie says plopping into the seat next to him. Cas laughs.

‘I don’t think any of them are much for rules.’ He thinks of Cassie at the fire station stating how she doesn’t do risky things because it’s not worth it. ‘Well, some of them anyway.’

‘It’s nice here isn’t it?’ Charlie asks, setting her elbows on the table and looking towards the vast expanse of sky in front of them. ‘Not as pretty as the lightning storms in Kansas, but in its own special way.’

‘You miss your home,’ Cas states. Charlies nods.

‘Don’t you?’ He thinks of the apartment he calls a home. There are no pictures on the walls, and all the interesting things he picks up while researching are still packed in boxes from where he’s had them shipped back.

‘Not really,’ he admits. Sam slides into a chair opposite them, running a hand through his hair.

‘Hey,’ he nods to them. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Home,’ Charlie says before Cas can open his mouth. ‘Cas doesn’t miss his.’

‘Yeah?’ A look of surprise flashes across Sam’s face. ‘Where are you from anyway?’

‘Illinois,’ Cas says.

‘What about your parents? You don’t miss them?’ Charlie asks.

‘My Dad left when I was young; note on the kitchen table to let us know. When I returned to the family home my first year of medical school my mother had left one too. I haven’t heard from either of them since then.’

Sam raises an eyebrow, but neither of them are giving him the pitying looks Cas is becoming accustomed to.  

‘My parents died when I was young,’ Charlie says. ‘It’s why I was moved to Kansas. And as much as I love and miss them, I can’t picture being anywhere else.’

‘And you’ve never tried to track them down?’ Sam asks, turning the conversation back to Cas. ‘Our Dad went missing once, and Dean spent 48 hours straight looking for him.’   

‘Not when I was younger, no,’ Cas says. ‘I’m not sure I really understood it to be honest. Since I’ve gotten older, I have tried looking. But I guess I’m not a very good searcher. There’s not a trace of either of them to be found.’

‘You know, if you wanted, I bet Jess could put something on the show. A heartfelt plea from you for your parents to get in touch. It might work,’ Charlie says. ‘We could wave a cameraman over now.’ Cas looks around, startled to realise the cameras aren’t near them. Since the evening has grown longer, there are only two in the garden with them, and they’re both concentrating on the ever-growing pool party. Garth, Lisa and Pete have joined it now.

‘That’s a nice idea, but no,’ Cas says. ‘If they wanted to come back I’ve made it clear that they can – well at least to my Dad anyway. But they’ve got things they were running from, and I don’t want to pull them back into that mess.’ He thinks of the newspaper articles that will be published in a few weeks.

Maybe even on Sunday if he gets voted off on Saturday. To ask them to come back now when the whole Luke thing is going to come crawling out of the black would be a kind of punishment Cas doesn’t want to inflict.

‘How did you make it clear to your Dad?’ Sam asks. Cas takes a breath, steeling himself to explain. He guesses it’s the only secret he has left from this collection of people, and there’s no point keeping it.

‘My Dad was Carver Edlund. He wrote the early nineties book series _Supernatural_ about a pair of brothers who go around hunting creatures. It’s where my whole book writing thing came from. I literally grew up on those books, and when he left they were the only things I had left of him.’

‘You did your _Supernatural Information_ series in the hope he’d find his way back to you,’ Sam says. Cas nods.

‘Well, I clearly see where you get your writing from. Those books were awesome,’ Charlie says. ‘I mean I didn’t even read them until a few years ago, and most of the books in the series were out of print, but I found them online and couldn’t wait to read them all.’

‘Thank you,’ Cas says. ‘I’m not much of a fiction writer, but I liked the idea of the history behind those stories. When I left the army, there wasn’t much I could do. I was indisposed for a while, and re-reading those books gave me something to do.’

There’s quiet, and Cas hates himself for wondering if he’s done enough. If he’ll make it through tomorrow, here for another week.

He wonders what it will be like. Only five of them left. Whatever happens at least one of his friends will be leaving.

‘I think we’re being summoned,’ Sam says. He nods towards the pool where everyone except the three of them are now. Dorothy’s sitting on the edge and she shoots a wink over to them. Cas isn’t sure if it’s directed towards him or Charlie but it does the trick.

The three of them push in their chairs and head over, squealing as Balthazar cannonballs into the pool drenching them all.

 

**

 

Later on, when Charlie and Sam have left, Cas is walking with Dorothy to her room. Everyone’s in good spirits. They were allowed a phone call home this afternoon.

Cas and Balthazar didn’t have anyone to call. Instead they spent the afternoon just talking on the floor of Cas’s room.

‘You look happy,’ Cas remarks to Dorothy as they reach her door.

‘I am,’ she says. ‘I spoke to my Mom. I told her what the situation was, and we had an eye-opener of a conversation.’

‘Oh?’ Cas says. He doesn’t want to push, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t interested. Dorothy seems much lighter than she has since the first week.

‘I told her I’d met someone who I really liked. Explained to her how I felt about Dad, and what he’d feel if he was still around.’

‘What did she say?’

‘She said that she knows Dad was old fashioned but that I was the apple of his eye. That yes, he probably would have struggled, but she doesn’t believe for a second he would have chosen his views over me. That she would chose to believe in the man she loved and that man would choose his daughter over anything.’

‘Wow,’ Cas says. ‘Does that change things?’ Dorothy gives him a sceptical look.

‘Cas, I literally just told my Mom I was a lesbian. I’d say it changes things. Massively.’

‘What did she say?’

‘She told me she hoped it wasn’t that Meg girl I’d fallen for, because she wasn’t sure she could introduce her to the neighbours.’

‘What are you going to do?’ he asks. Part of him is panicking. He’s not sure he can get through however long he’s got left here without Dorothy by his side. Sure, Balthazar might still be here, but he’s usually too busy hamming it up to the camera. He won’t be content to stand off at the side and remark on everyone else.

‘I’m going to do what you told me to. Let myself be open to the possibility of happiness. I guess I’m starting to think it’s worth it too.’

‘Are you dropping out the show?’ Cas asks.

‘I have a plan,’ Dorothy says. ‘But it’s not going to be slinking out in the middle of the night, and letting Jo announce that I’ve had to leave the contest due to personal reasons. I’m going out with a bang.’ With that, she bids Cas goodnight, going into her room and shutting the door.   


	24. Chapter Twenty-Four: Cas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the F&F vote off...Enjoy :)

‘Alright,’ Jess yells. Everyone stops what they’re doing, the atmosphere turning serious at once. ‘I hope you all know what you’re doing because my God we’ve been over it enough.’ The contestants settle into the plastic seats behind them. It’s more ballgowns and suits, but at least it’s a little cooler than it was last week.

Cas’s gaze flickers over to the other side of the garden where Dean’s five F&F are sitting. They’ll be watching the episode live with the contestants for the first time, everything ready for when the show comes back from the last break.

The giant TV screen comes to life, and Jess walks out of the way, joining the F&F. Cas notes how her and Sam share a secret smile.

He feels another pang, but it’s not for himself. He’s feeling sorry for Dean. It looks like his brother and his best friend have both found someone on this show. And what if Dean ends up with someone he can’t stand?

Cas tried the Sunday Morning test on Dean and Meg, but the only morning he can see is the one after the wedding. He pictures Meg spread out on the hotel bed, Dean having taken the floor for the night, because neither of them wanted to spend the night together.

He bets they’d have the quickest divorce in the history of the show – so far, a record that’s held by season’s 7 winning couple who called things quits after just three weeks.

_The One_ credits roll across the screen, and Cas snaps to attention. There’s a two-minute video of Dean recapping what he’s looking for in a person and Cas tries not to feel a little lurch in his stomach every time he says something that relates to him. Several of the remaining ten have the qualities Dean likes in a partner.

It’s them and Mary at the shooting range, Cassie refusing to take part. Mary and Meg and Crowley bonding, although Mary’s face is still a little cautious. Balthazar impresses with his aim, and he makes some dirty joke on screen that has the people in the garden laughing, but will go over the heads of the children watching.

It shows Cas shooting the gun, and walking out. His and Mary’s chat is shown in full and Cas feels a pinch in his chest.

He didn’t know they’d been filming that. What happened to the light-hearted TV show they were going on about? There’s not supposed to be shootings and fire in that.

_The One_ moves on quickly to their day with John. It shows all of them trying to complete the course, Balthazar shouting ‘bloody stupid thing’ at every different section and trying to doggy paddle through the water trenches.

There’s the fire station with Benny, him and Cassie arguing over the safety of Dean’s job. And then it’s Sam and Charlie’s turn, all of them in the pool. There’s Charlie talking to Garth, him showing her the sock puppet he talks to his kid customers with, how it accuses them of lying when they tell him they’ve brushed their teeth but he knows they haven’t. Apparently Mr Frizzles is a huge hit with the children.

There’s a filmed dinner between Dean’s F&F, but it’s just snippets of their conversations. All the names have been edited out, so none of the eliminations are predictable.

Before he knows it – and what feels nothing like forty minutes - Cas is standing back up, Dean’s F&F standing just opposite him. Jo’s back, smiling at the camera and someone’s counting her down.

‘Welcome back to _The One!_ As you know, this week Dean’s friends and family have spent time with the remaining contestants and this week they’ll be the ones who get to decide who goes home. F&F,’ Jo says, turning to them, ‘I hope you’ve chosen for Dean wisely. You have all been handed the X charm.’ They each hold one of the charms out in front of them, displaying it clearly in the camera. ‘One at a time, you’ll be asked to step up. Please, stand in front of the person you wish to eliminate and then give your reasons. You will then attach the X to their bracelet. Contestants if an X is attached to your bracelet, please walk forward.’ She makes eye contact with everyone, waiting for each of them to nod their understanding.

‘Benny, you will go first.’

Benny walks forward.

He stops in front of Cassie, who smiles softly at him. ‘Cassie. I’m sorry, darlin’. You and Dean might actually be good for each other – I think he could even fall in love with you. Someone who knows their way around cars like you? Dean would think he’s dreaming. But you’re worried about his job already, and Dean’s more of a risk taker than just the firefighting. He loves a thrill, and I think his world might be a little too much for you. I have to give you this.’ He fumbles a little with the delicate charm, attaching it to her bracelet.

Cas swallows. They all knew this was coming, but doing it like this, spreading it out, is horrible. It’s worse than both previous eliminations. Cassie takes a step forward, out of the line.

‘Thank you, Benny,’ says Jo. ‘Cassie, you have been voted off this season of _The One_ and as such are out of the running to marry Dean. Benny, you may now go back to your position. Sam, if you’d like to step forward.’ Benny and Sam cross over, and Sam walks to stand in front of Meg.

Cas feels his heart sink. ‘Meg, I’m sure you can be nice. But you and Dean together just sets off warning bells in my head and I can’t let my brother walk into that. I’m not sure you really want to be here, or that you want to marry him.’

‘I don’t,’ Meg says. ‘But I’ve had a real fun time.’ Sam attaches the X to her bracelet, then steps back into his line as Meg walks forward to join Cassie.  

‘Meg, you’ve been voted off _The One_ and are no longer in the running to marry Dean. Charlie, please step forward,’ Jo says. Cas watches Charlie. He’s expecting her to go straight to Dorothy – some plan they’ve cooked up together to get Dorothy off the show, maybe even a kiss on live TV – but she passes her by, and steps in front of Garth.

‘Garth. I feel terrible about this. You’re so sweet and lovely – probably the nicest person I’ve ever met,’ she says. ‘And I love Dean. But he can be stubborn and angry and, I think he’d probably break your heart. Or at last damage it a little.’ Garth nods and as she’s attaching the bracelet Cas hears her whisper ‘please don’t hate me’ in his ear. When she pulls away, Garth pulls her back in for a hug, before he steps forwards.

‘Charlie, you may now go back to your position. Garth, you have been eliminated from _The One_ and are no longer in the running to marry Dean. Mary, please step forward,’ Jo says.  

 Mary doesn’t even hesitate. She walks to Pete, staring him straight in the eye. ‘Pete. My son needs someone he can trust, and you’ve already proved that you can’t be. By kissing that woman at the festival you’ve shown that you’re not serious about this contest at all, and therefore not serious about my son. I’d be no kind of mother if I let this opportunity to get rid of you pass me by.’ With no nonsense, she fixes the charm on his wrist, then steps back, almost admiring it.

Cas wonders how long she’s been planning that. If she even needed the day with them. As she walks back to her place, she slips Cas a tiny wink.

Pete takes his position in the line of eliminated contestants.

‘Pete. You have been voted off _The One_ and are no longer in the running to marry Dean. Last, but not least, John. Please step up,’ Jo says.  

John walks forward, his feet dragging on the floor. His eyes meet Cas’s and it seems like the world slows down. He’s going. He knew it.

But then John picks up his pace, going to the end of the line and standing in front of Michael. Cas is sure he isn’t the only one who gasps.

‘Michael. This breaks my heart to do, it really does. But I have to think about what’s best for my boy, and I don’t think you are. You remind me of myself a little. And I thought that was a good thing, but I’m not sure I want Dean to end up with someone like me; a solider. He needs someone who can think for himself, knows his own mind.’ John attaches the charm to Michael’s wrist. Michael is looking straight ahead, not an inch of feeling on his face.

John steps back, and Jo sweeps forward. Michael takes the final place, joining Cassie, Meg, Garth and Pete.

‘Michael, you have been voted off _The One_ and are no longer in the running to marry Dean,’ Jo says.

Cas looks at Meg, and Garth and Cassie. He doesn’t want them to go.

And then it hits him.

He’s safe.

Through to the final five. Another week to prove to the public he’s good enough to win, good enough for Dean.

There are assistants behind the remaining five contestants, fixing silver F&F charms to their bracelets. Cas watches, a warm feeling spreading through him as the new charm is added.

‘Thank you for joining us for this week’s _The One-’_ Jo starts.

‘Wait!’ Dorothy calls out. She throws her hands out, stopping the assistant adding to her bracelet. All heads snap to her. ‘Before we go, I would like to announce that I’m withdrawing from the contest.’ Cas risks a glance at Charlie, but she looks as surprised as the rest of them. ‘I’m a lesbian. And I’ve met someone special, who I’d like to try and make things work with. Obviously, that wouldn’t really happen if I were to marry Dean, or even stay in this contest. I know I might be letting some viewers down, those who have voted for me. Those who wanted me to win, and I’m so grateful that you saw something in me worth saving. But I’m not _The One_ for Dean.’ Her gaze flicks to Cas for a split second, and then she’s back looking into the camera, head held high.

‘Well, thank you for sharing that with us Dorothy. Join us next week when the final two will be revealed here on _The One._ Uh, lines will open at the end of the credits, so make sure you vote to keep your favourite in!’ Jo says.

There’s a pause, and someone shouts ‘that’s a wrap.’

And then all hell breaks loose.


	25. Chapter Twenty-Five: Dean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since you all left me such lovely comments (and since the faster I post, I faster I can get to the really good stuff) have another chapter. :)

‘Dean! Dean, where are you? I’ve got ten minutes to do this…why were you hiding in the bathroom?’ Charlie’s come into the house, hair messed up, breathing heavily.

‘No reason,’ Dean says. He subconsciously touches the new papers in his pockets, that Jo dropped off earlier. She told him Jess asked her to stop by, concerned that Dean was going a little stir-crazy.

There’s three this time – one of a sleek black truck, one page just full of _Dr. Sexy_ quotes, and another of just plain doodles. There’s another C signature, but just a plain looking one this time, no horns or halo, an actual _Dr. Sexy_ signature (Dean knows it’s the exact same one because he recognises it from season 5 episode 12), and an over the top G. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘Come with me,’ Charlie says, taking his arm, and leading him into the back garden.

‘Is this a jail break?’ Dean asks. He wouldn’t put it past her, and he can’t deny he’s a little excited.

‘No. I just need to make sure we’re not overheard. I mean I’ve jammed all the microphones, and re-looped the camera feed from earlier this afternoon but I still think we’ll only have about ten minutes before Jess thinks to check in on you and she might notice something is up because she knows you wouldn’t have a beer that lasted ten minutes and you’ve got a beer on the loop I’m playing.’ Charlie leans over, hand on her waist panting. ‘Ow. I really need to get in shape.’

‘Charlie, hey, look at me. What the hell is going on? Is everyone okay?’ Charlie looks up at him, face shinning.

‘Everyone’s fine. More than fine, actually. Well, Jess might be about to kill someone but she won’t really so it’s all good.’

‘Charlie. Use your words. Explain.’

‘Okay. I’ve met someone.’ He knows he should be happy for her – Charlie’s almost as unlucky in love as he is – but his first feeling is of dismay. Both her and Sam have found someone.

Well, good things come in threes, right?

‘Does she work on the show?’

‘Not quite.’ Charlie looks a bit fearful now.

‘Why all the secrecy with the looped camera runs and jammed microphones? Why couldn’t you just tell me?’ Charlie’s the best IT hacker he knows, but she’d never abuse that power. If this wasn’t important she never would have messed with the show.

‘She doesn’t work on the show, Dean. But we did meet through it.’ Dean frowns at her for a second.

And then it clicks into place.

‘Charlie did you steal one of my potential wives?’

‘Well, see, when you say it like that it sounds creepy. In more ways than one. I didn’t steal her. But yes. She was a contestant.’

‘Was? Did someone vote her off?’

‘No.’ Charlie sits on the ground, hands tugging at her hair. Dean joins her. ‘It’s complicated, but I’ll try to condense it as best as I can. I don’t even know all the details but everyone back at the main house is going crazy right now, and I knew this would be my only chance to talk to you. And I had to talk to you.’

Charlie takes a deep breath and launches into her tale. She tells Dean about a woman who she met the first night. How gorgeous and funny she is and how she already goes to comic-con and at first Charlie didn’t know she was a lesbian, and then she found out that she was still in the closet.

She talks a lot about this woman, until Dean makes a hurry it along gesture. There’s nothing he’d like more than to sit here all night and listen to Charlie in the first throes of a new relationship but he’s conscious of the time.

If Jess is already on the warpath, he doesn’t want to get under her skin any more.

‘Okay, so I don’t know what was going on, but the other day she seemed different. We’d talked a little about the situation beforehand but were interrupted. Then on Thursday she was being flirty with me and I was so confused because she was still in the contest. I’ve been struggling with this because like I could have used my vote to get rid of her, but that didn’t seem fair and I hated myself for even thinking of it.

Anyway. Tangent, sorry. But we did the vote off tonight, and no one got rid of her, and then live on camera, she withdraws from the contest, tells everyone she’s a lesbian and that she’s met someone she wants to try with.’

Dean suddenly understands why Jess is on the warpath. ‘Wow,’ he says.

‘Yeah. And I couldn’t get near her, and I had to talk about it with someone and I think Sam might know but he’s staying at the main house to try and calm Jess down. Your parents and Benny said they were going to the hotel, and I pretended to follow them but I came here.’

‘That’s a lot of information to take in. Can I have a moment?’

‘Sure. Just a moment though cause you know limited time and I’ve already taken quite a few minutes up.’ Dean nods.

‘Okay. So you’ve fallen for someone who was in the running to be my partner.’

‘Yes. And I feel bad about that, I do, but you know as much as I think you and her would get on, I don’t know if you’d fall in love with her. She’s a gamer, and I know you don’t mind playing video games but you do always get bored after a few hours. Also, she’s a lesbian.’

‘Yeah, that might hinder us being together a little bit,’ Dean says. ‘What are you going to do?’

‘Well, I assume that Jess will be sending her to the hotel after she’s finished talking to her. I plan to wait, and hopefully we can talk. See what she wants to do. I mean she meant me right. She had to mean me. Oh my god, what if she’s fallen for one of the other contestants and didn’t mean me at all?’

‘It seems unlikely. You said you’d already discussed your feelings, and with whatever she’s got going on, I think falling for two people while being in a contest to marry someone else is a little too much for anyone.’

‘You’re right. I’m sorry for barging in and ruining a tiny piece of the show for you, but I was spinning out and I just had to talk to someone.’

‘You’re welcome,’ Dean says, pulling her into a hug. She’s hugs him back, tight, and he takes a moment to appreciate it. ‘Now go talk to your girl.’

‘Thanks Dean. You’re the best friend.’ She hugs him again, and then almost as quickly as she entered the house she’s gone in a whirl of red hair and excitement.  


	26. Chapter Twenty-Six: Cas

Cas turns over in his bed, staring at the wall opposite. It doesn’t look any different from the other wall he’s spent 45 minutes staring at.

Giving it up, he gets out of bed, shaking himself out for the day. None of them have any idea what’s been planned for them, but with it down to the final four, Cas bets it’s going to be something high level.

He dresses, in jeans and a dark blue t-shirt. It’s another hot day, and since he still hasn’t had any coffee yet he’s not sure he can make buttons work for him right now.

Some days he still has trouble with putting a tie on correctly.

Stumbling down to the kitchen – and stumbling really is the word for it, since he bumps into a wall more than once - he blinks blearily out the window, waiting for the coffee to brew. Lisa’s out there, stretching on her yoga mat.

Cas watches for a while but some of the positions she gets herself into make him wince and he turns away.

Balthazar and Crowley enter the kitchen twenty minutes later. Cas who’s drunk two cups of coffee is feeling much better.

More awake anyway.

Lisa’s come in from outside too, sitting at the table eating an apple for breakfast.

‘What do we think they have in store for us today?’ Balthazar asks, arm thrown along the back of his chair. ‘I don’t know if I’m up to throwing myself around another muddy field. Really, all this changeable weather is playing havoc with my skin.’ He wipes a hand over his face. ‘The price we pay for love, eh?’ He nudges Lisa who smiles.

‘Are you? In love with Dean?’ Crowley asks. ‘I didn’t think he’d be your type.’

‘I don’t have a type,’ Balthazar says. ‘I find it much too limiting.’

‘You didn’t answer my question,’ Crowley says. ‘Are you in love with Dean?’ He looks around the table, making eye contact with all of them.  ‘Final four and all that. Don’t you think we should put all our cards on the table?’

‘Please, like you’d show your hand. What’s that hidden up your sleeve? Why, it’s a giant pack of lies,’ Balthazar says, acting affronted. ‘What are you hoping for here, that one of us has fallen madly deeply in love with Dean and will spill everything so you can take them down and pretend to Dean’s family that we’re deluded?’

‘No, I just wished to inform you all that I plan to win. And nobody is going to stand in my way.’ His gaze flicks to Lisa, and he smirks at her.

‘You’ll have a do a lot better than that to frighten me,’ she says. ‘And as for laying for the cards on the table; yes. I like Dean. I think he’d be a good Dad to my son, and that we’d be a great match. But I am not crazily in love with him through a TV screen. If I win, it will be nice. If I don’t, well let’s just say I know which one of you I’m supporting.’ She doesn’t take her eyes off Crowley. ‘And it’s not you.’

‘Well, if I’m not just quaking in my boots. Yes, sign Dean up to a life of domestic boredom, that’s obviously what the thrill seeking fire fighter wants.’

Lisa goes back to her apple, ignoring Crowley. When it’s obviously he won’t get any more out of her, he turns to Cas. ‘What about you? You’ve been awfully quiet. Scared you’re not up to the occasion?’ Cas puts his stoic expression on. It would take torture to crack this mask he’s perfected over the years.

‘I like Dean.’

‘That wasn’t the question.’

‘I like Dean enough to know that I’d rather end up married to him than see him stuck with you.’ Lisa hides a smile, and Balthazar starts applauding.

‘Well, if that isn’t just the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. You guys do realise this is supposed to be a romance show? Heart eyes and blushes and all that crap.’

‘Oh, and you’re the man for the job are you?’ Balthazar asks. ‘So, if you and Dean do get married are you going to be moving to America? How do you picture your future working out?’

‘Who said anything about a future? You all seem to be stuck on the marrying Dean aspect. But to do that you have to win. No one’s expecting any of us to actually stay with him. Not even the people who’re voting for us. I intend to win. Whatever comes after that will mean nothing.’

‘Talk about heart eyes and romance,’ Lisa mutters under her breath.

‘And what about you Balthazar? Are you planning on moving here?’ Crowley asks.  

‘God no. But then I’m going to be voted out on Saturday no matter what, so it doesn’t really affect me,’ Balthazar says. He looks genuinely affronted that anyone thought he might be the one to win.

‘Don’t say that,’ Lisa says. ‘You’ve got as much chance of winning as any of us do.’ Balthazar laughs.

‘I appreciate the support, but even I know I’m not marriage material. Mark my words, whatever I do, I will be voted off on Saturday – and I am completely fine with that.’ Crowley leaves the kitchen table, sulking off to do god knows what for a few hours until their call time.

‘Don’t worry,’ Balthazar says, whispering into Cas’s ear as he gets up. ‘I watch a ton of reality shows, and Crowley will be leaving right along with me.’    


	27. Chapter Twenty-Seven: Dean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're moving into the final task this week!

‘You know you’re supposed to be getting married in just over a week, right?’ Jo says as she walks into the living room. Dean just grunts at her. ‘Okay, but I’m letting you know now the worse you let yourself get, the worse it will be on the day. Jess will have you shaved and wearing more make-up than the bride.’ Dean’s heart stops.

‘It’s a bride?’ he asks. His voice is groggy. He’s been trying to see how long he can go without speaking – his personal best is 14 hours, and he only broke that because he accidently stubbed his toe on the wall and swore out loud. ‘I’m marrying a woman?’

‘What? No, why would you think that.’ Dean blinks at her confused. She did say bride. He’s a little over tired – he’s not sleeping well, creepy nightmares about monsters plaguing him. He keeps dreaming about getting to the end of the aisle and finding the mouth from the drawing on his wall waiting for him, or someone with black eyes who laughs and then stabs him.

It’s affecting his attention span a little, but she did say bride.

‘You said I’d be wearing more make-up than the bride.’

‘Oh. Well, no I didn’t mean that, it’s just ‘cause you know on their wedding days you expect brides to have a lot of make-up.’ Dean feels himself deflating, just a little. He thought he knew something, some little piece of information to hang onto.

‘Is it a groom then?’ he asks. Jo looks at him.

‘It’s still up in the air is all I’m saying.’ She surveys him a little bit closer, sniffing the air around him. ‘You know we have to film today? You’re going to tell them what the final task is. Millions of people are going to be watching you.’

‘Let them see my descent into madness,’ Dean mumbles, but he stands up and shuffles off to the bathroom to make himself more presentable.

As he’s passing, Jo pulls him into a hug, wrinkling her nose a little at his two-day old clothing.

‘Last one,’ she tells him quietly, putting a sheaf of papers in his hand. ‘And I wasn’t going to say, but since you’re obviously struggling, they are from the final four.’

Dean nods, and steps back, hurrying to the bathroom. This is what he needed to perk him up.

He takes a second to relish in the moment. These pages could contain anything, and he knows he doesn’t want to end up married to some of the people who drew the things already on his wall.

The first page is covered in angels and demons. Little triangle bodies, with wings or black eyes, flying all over the page.

Dean feels his heart skip when he sees the C with a halo around it at the bottom. It’s from the same guy who did the cartoon drawings of mythical creatures. He wishes it was a bit more detailed, but it’s just black eyes and wings. He puts it aside, carefully. He’ll have to leave them in here instead of sneaking them up to his room now.

The next page contains a picture of a boy. He’s got messy black hair and scrapped knees. He’s wearing a black t-shirt and there’s a stain on the paper, in the bottom, just above the L of the signature.

The person who did the heart and the music note. Has to be their son. He puts it on top of the angels and demons, to cover up those black eyes. He feels like they’re looking at him, and with the nightmares he’s having, he doesn’t need to see them when he’s awake too.

The next page is a photo of a crown. Covered in jewels. Shaded in just so. The C at the bottom has the devil horns, and Dean thinks of the picture upstairs, the guy in the throne. He knew the halo and the horns couldn’t be the same person. He knew it.  

The last page is folded in half, like a card, and the front contains two stick figures holding hands. There’s another person in front of them, and people watching them, little half circles making up the audience. Dean feels a jolt as he sees the word ‘Dean’ written above one of these figures, a ‘you’ over the other one.

What’s confusing Dean is the little arrow pointing to one of these faceless audience members with the word ‘me’ written above it.

There’s nothing written on the paper inside. Whoever it is – a B with angel wings, the one from the drawing of Missouri – obviously doesn’t think they’re going to be the one marrying Dean.

‘Dean, we need to start filming. Are you almost ready?’ Jo shouts. Dean sticks the papers under the bathroom rug, and runs a flannel over his face. He leaves the t-shirt on – it’s a little creased, but he doubts anyone is expecting him to look his best after being cooped up in here for five weeks.

He also decides to leave the beard. He’ll shave for his wedding – as Jo pointed out Jess won’t let him get married not clean shaven – but he quite likes it for now.

When he emerges from the bathroom, Jo shakes her head, but they settle into their seats on the sofa.

‘This week Dean will be setting the final task for the contestants – and this time it’s a two parter. Remember, this is the deciding vote – at the end of this episode only two will remain. Dean, why don’t you let them know what their first part is?’   

‘I know you’re all competing to be married to me, and I hope that means you’re going to be okay sharing. Because, see there’s a special lady in my life already. She’s my Baby, my most treasured possession. My 1967 Impala.’ Dean pauses for a second, as Jo raises her hand. He knows this means an image of his Baby will flash up on screen, but they don’t want to interrupt the flow of his speech. When Jo lowers her hand, he starts speaking again, listing her qualities. ‘She’s been my pride and joy since I was 21 and my Dad handed me the keys. She was his before, but I always felt we had a special connection.’ Jo shakes her head, but she’s smiling softly. ‘So, today I want you to show your cars. Whatever you’ve got – show me.’ Sam already dropped by this morning to pick the Impala up, Dean almost crying as he watched her being driven off to spend the day with people he didn’t know.  

‘And for the second?’ Jo asks.

‘When I need to blow off steam I like to go down to my local karaoke bar. I want you to sing your favourite song!’ Dean smiles into the camera.

Jo does her link to camera. ‘And now let’s go and find out how the final four reacted to their final task.’ Her smile wavers a little as she listens to something in her earpiece. ‘What? Oh. I don’t know.’ She glances at Dean, still talking into her microphone. She turns away after a second. ‘Well what am I supposed to do? I don’t know if he heard. Were we keeping it from him? I can’t do the link otherwise. Jess, yes, hello. Are you sure? Okay.’

Jo turns back to Dean. ‘Dean. You may have heard something a little odd there, and I have something to tell you. It might come as a bit of a shock.’ Jo pulls a face at him. ‘But one of the contestants withdrew from the contest, and that’s why we have a final four instead of a final five.’ Dean looks at her blankly for a second.

‘Oh, okay,’ he says. ‘I assume you can’t tell me why they left.’ He’s looking anywhere but at the camera or Jo’s face. He’s an okay actor, but this is threating to break him. He can feel laughter bubbling up.

He can’t tell Jo about Charlie and how he already knows. Not that Jo realised anything was amiss when she mentioned the final four drawings she was giving to him earlier.

‘Nope,’ Jo says. She stands up, obviously desperate to get out of there now before one of them ruins it. ‘I’ll see next week for your wedding, Dean,’ she says, leaving.

That stops the laughter pretty quickly.


	28. Chapter Twenty-Eight: Cas

A car that Cas has only seen on the TV pulls up in front of him, Balthazar, Crowley and Lisa. Sam steps out, grinning at them all.

‘This is my brother’s pride and joy. He’s already having a heart attack at the idea of her not being in his possession for the next couple of hours, so please make sure to take care with her.’

All four of them walk around the car. ‘What do you think?’ Sam asks. ‘She means a lot to all of us.’

‘It’s nice,’ Lisa says. ‘And it looks like a pretty big trunk, which is good. He could fit a week’s worth of shopping in there.’ Crowley snorts.

‘Oh yes, I’m sure that’s why he’s so attached to it. The number of bags you could fit in the trunk.’

Balthazar stands up, done looking at it. ‘Well, it’s obviously very good looking but I know nothing about cars.’ He runs a finger along the outside. ‘Although I do notice that the backseat is large. I bet there’s a lot of fun been had there?’ He raises an eyebrow at Sam who ignores him, although his face does turn red suddenly.

Cas catches Lisa’s eye and both of them instantly turn their heads away to dilute the laughter building up inside.

‘Cas?’ Sam asks. ‘What do you think?’

‘She’s a beauty, although I’m sure Dean’s more attached to the memories she holds rather than her visually appealing aspect. I don’t know a lot about cars either,’ he admits. He doesn’t feel bad about it – it’s clear that none of them are car enthusiasts. ‘I’ve had the same car since I was 21 and saved up to a buy a second hand one. I rarely use it but it’s a good little run around.’ He thinks about it. ‘I suppose I’m quite attached to my car, too.’

Balthazar laughs, then looks around when everyone stares at him. ‘Oh, don’t worry you’ll all get it too when you see his car.’

That’s a perfect lead in, and the contestants and Sam head towards the end of the parking lot. One by one their cars will be driven in.

Cas thinks this might be a bit of a let-down after last week’s show. Who’s going to want to watch people standing around nodding over not particularly impressive cars, when last week they had someone outing themselves and the F&F vote off?

First up is Lisa’s car. It’s nondescript and Cas finds his mind wandering as she tells Sam about it. When asked why she bought it, she shrugs, saying it’s safe and reliable and gets her son to the school and back. And it has enough room in the trunk for a week’s worth of shopping.

Balthazar is up next, a tall sleek black car pulling up. The windows are tinted, and there’s a driver in a peaked cap who hops out the front.

‘I don’t actually drive. I know it’s an important skill, but I always feel like I was one of those people who was born to be driven. I uber everywhere. I think this is a hired one.’

They move onto Crowley’s car, another sleek black one. Cas is starting to feel a bit uncomfortable. His car will be along any moment now and compared to what’s been before it might end up looking like a joke.

He wishes Dorothy was still here. She’d bring her motorbike out, everyone would admire it, and Sam would say Dean would love it.

But Dorothy’s gone, and Cas hasn’t spoken to her since she left.

After the credits rolled on Saturday, Jess asked her what the hell she was thinking of, announcing it on air. There was a long rant, lots of which no one really listened to, and Jess did calm down a bit in the end. She said she was very happy for Dorothy, and if she’d been a viewer at home, she’d be overjoyed right now – but this was her show, and it was her neck on the line, and she was going to be in so much trouble for this.

But she’d also hugged Dorothy and told her she looked happier than she’d ever seen her.

Charlie had mysteriously disappeared from the house the second cut was called.

Cas wants to know what’s happened between them almost as much as he’s secretly hoping he wins this contest.

‘What is that?’ Crowley asks. All of the rest of them are looking down the gravel driveway, where a 1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V is slowly pulling up to them. Everyone looks at Cas. ‘Tell me it’s not yours.’

‘I like it,’ Cas says simply. He had limited funds when he bought it, and it’s been good to him. After he came back from the army, but couldn’t bear another night in his childhood home and had nowhere else to go, he’d take blankets out to the backseat, watching the stars through the window and ignoring the pain running through his arm.

The car pulls to a stop in front of them.

‘Well, it’s, certainly something. I think I drove a car like this once actually,’ Sam says, squinting a little. ‘That was a crappy gold one too.’

‘You think it’s crappy?’ Cas asks. Sam looks at him, his expression startled.

‘It doesn’t really matter what I think. As my brother would say ‘eye of the beholder.’ If you like it, that’s all that matters.’ He smiles, and Cas smiles back.

He knows the car is a little out there for some people. He didn’t even really like it at first, but it’s always gotten him from point A to B.

The car section comes to an end – and Cas think there’ll struggle to get ten minutes of footage out of that, let alone a whole episode - and they make their way back to the main house.

They’ve all got to get ready for tonight.

 

**

‘Here, Balthazar, I found you the perfect song,’ Cas says handing him a sheet of paper. Balthazar glances at the song title.

‘If you sing this I will have to kill you. I’ll do it quite cheerfully too,’ he says, throwing the paper back into the pile of them on the table in front of them. Lisa looks at the title, frowning.

‘ _My heart will go on?_ What’s wrong with that?’ she asks. Cas snorts.

‘That song is the worst song in the entirety of the world. It makes me want to kill myself and anyone who thinks singing it in my near vicinity is a good idea,’ Balthazar says.

‘Okay,’ Lisa says. She looks at the papers in her hands. ‘Do any of you know what you’re going to sing?’

‘Yep,’ Crowley says, plucking one from the top of the pile. ‘ _I’m too sexy._ Sam said it was one of Dean’s go to songs, and isn’t it just amazing that it’s mine too?’ Crowley goes off to show the producers his choice.

‘Oh, hey, I know this one,’ Lisa says, eyes running over the sheet now in front of her. She taps her fingers on the page. ‘Do you think I can sing _Eye of the Tiger_ on TV or will it ruin my reputation for ever?’

‘ _Eye of the Tiger?’_ Cas asks. ‘I don’t think I’ve heard that before. It is good?’ Lisa looks at him.

‘You’ve never heard it?’

‘No.’ Lisa looks back down the table between them.

‘Cas how many of these songs have you heard of?’

Cas smiles sheepishly. He enjoys music, but he doesn’t need it to fill silence. He’s perfectly fine driving with nothing on in the car, typing his books with nothing but the noise outside his window.

‘Music isn’t really my thing,’ he admits. He sighs as he looks at the papers again, hoping that one will jump out at him.

It’s like this task was picked to show how bad he’d be for Dean. Cars and music. Cas likes to think of himself as one of those people who knows a little about everything, but those are the two subjects he had no idea about.

Or popular culture. He’s not too into that, either. He’d never even heard of the show Pete was supposed to look like the main character from.

‘Well I’m done,’ Balthazar says showing them his sheet. _Shake it Off_ by _Taylor Swift_ is written at the top. ‘I used to do a fantastic tribute act as her. People always said I had the skin for it.’

‘He’s going to make the episode,’ Lisa mutters as they watch him walk off. ‘Do you really think he’s going to get voted off? Him and Crowley. Usually the entertaining ones make it to the final two.’

‘I don’t know,’ Cas says. But he thinks about the final ten. How most of them had something in common with Dean. Weren’t in the show for the wrong reasons. Cas thinks most of them would have got on with Dean, so maybe the public does know what they’re doing.

At least a little. ‘Balthazar has been very vocal about not wanting to marry Dean. I assume if he gets to the final two, he’ll pull a Dorothy and announce he’s stepping down and that you -,’ Cas cuts himself off. He’d been about to say ‘and that you’d win by default’.

Lisa doesn’t appear to be listening, however. She’s watching Balthazar and Crowley talk at the bar, both of them ordering ridiculous cocktails with all the trimmings.

They’ve been ushered into a small back room, where they’ll spend the evening. Can’t have them actually in the bar, with the viewing public in case someone says something and they see which way the voting is going to go. They’ve all been cut off from the world.

Cas scans the papers in front of him, the last trickle of hope deserting him. He can’t even choose a song – why would anyone choose him to be with Dean?

A title catches his eye, and he pulls it out, looking over the lyrics. His Dad used to play it all the time, putting it on loop as he sat typing in his office.

‘You found something?’ Lisa asks.

‘I think so. It’s not much of a karaoke song, but at least I remember the tune.’ He shows her the sheet of paper, humming a few bars to himself. Cas isn’t the best singer – his voice is too low to really do most songs justice – but Balthazar isn’t much better than him and Lisa’s already admitted she can barely carry a tune.  

‘Good choice,’ Lisa says, and they make their way to the bar, song sheets in hand.

A few minutes later Sam joins them again. He looks at their song sheets, a smile on his face when he sees Cas’s.

‘What made you pick this one?’ Sam asks.

‘To be truthful, it was the only one I knew. I don’t listen to much music but my Dad used to play it when he was writing. It’s not going to be as entertaining as the others.’

‘That’s okay. I think Dean would like yours more,’ Sam says, handing Cas back the lyric sheet to his chosen song.

The Beatles classic, _Hey Jude._


	29. Chapter Twenty-Nine: Dean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You are all so lovely. Thank you :)

Dean shifts in his seat, blinking at the bright spotlights on him, rubbing his hand along his newly shaven jaw.

‘Don’t move,’ Jess says, opposite him. ‘If you move we’ll need to fix the light. And if we need to fix the light, we can’t start. Do you want to be in this room all afternoon?’

‘No, Ma’am,’ Dean answers. She gives him her version of a dirty look.

‘This is the final interview Dean. Saturday night we’re going to close the lines at the first ad break. The vote off will happen in the second part and then we’ll show your final interview about what you’re looking for and the final two’s interview. The viewers will have a whole week to vote until next Saturday.’

‘I know,’ Dean says. He’s been told this enough, read this enough, watched the show enough. He knows the final four will all be having their interviews now, but that only two of them will be shown.

In fact, they’ll be coming to this room after he’s finished and is safely back in his house. It’s a studio that the TV company use. Black walls, white floor, two big chairs facing each other. Jo will ask the questions and Dean will answer as honestly as he can. Whatever he says is supposed to have an effect on the viewing public, help them choose which one of the final two should win.

‘Okay. Do you know the plan for after next Saturday?’ Jess asks. She sits in the big chair facing him, legs crossed. He wonders how her and Sam are doing – both of them are being infuriately quiet on the subject.

‘Yes. The final vote will be counted at 8pm next Saturday. A charm will be placed on the winner’s bracelet, telling them they’re _The One._ Both of them will be dressed for a wedding – have I told you how cruel I find that by the way? – But only one of them will walk down the aisle to me. The other will be ushered back to the hotel in a car. We’ll get married live on TV, and be shown to the hotels honeymoon suite where we spend the night together, and I’ll get the opportunity to watch the episodes. The next night, they’ll be a party. I’ll get to meet all the contestants who didn’t make the cut. Then me and my new whatever will ride off into the sunset on a honeymoon for two weeks.’

Jess’s face is not impressed.

‘I get it, you watch the show. I just wanted to check.’ Jo comes into the studio. Jess moves, and Jo takes her place. The earpiece is popped in, and then she smiles winningly at Dean.

‘You ready for this? For us to probe your deep, personal traits and find out what you want from your life partner?’

‘Sure,’ Dean says. It’s not like he hasn’t answered these questions already; once on the application form, and then again in his screen test.

‘Okay.’ Jo clears her throat, leaning back in her chair, position relaxed. ‘This will be the last time I see you before your wedding,’ she says. ‘If it all goes wrong you should call me. We can get coffee.’ She smiles at him.

Dean’s shocked at first, but then he notices the glint in her eye. If it does go wrong he has no doubt that he could call and ask her out. But she’s trying to put him at ease.

‘Dean,’ Jo says, leaning forward, and Dean realises the interview has started. He starts to shift again but remembers Jess’s words from earlier and stays still. ‘Next week will be your wedding, to someone you’ve never met. The public have voted twenty contestants down to just two. Over the next ten minutes, we’ll be asking you questions, to help the undecided viewer make up their mind. Are you ready?’

‘I am.’

‘Excellent. Question One. Why did you apply to the show? We’ve heard a little bit about your reasons, but now it’s time to dig deep.’

‘I was lonely,’ Dean says. ‘I’ve had relationships in the past, but nothing lasting longer than a year. This show is one of my favourites, and to be honest, the night I applied I was drunk with Charlie and we decided why not? It was a bit of fun. But the further I got into the process the more I felt like I was supposed to be here. Is that weird?’

‘Not at all. Thank you for sharing. Question Two. What, in your opinion is your worst quality? What would be the hardest thing about being with you?’

Dean pauses. This wasn’t on the forms. A list of things runs through his head, but little annoyances. He needs to help the audience as much as he can. If he lies, and they choose the wrong person, Dean will never know.

‘I’m stubborn. And sometimes I get grouchy, and angry. Hot headed, I think is the term. Also, and I don’t know if this has come across on screen but me and my brother? Kind of a package deal. He’s my best friend and we share everything. If you’re going to be with me, you need to get along with him too because he’s going to be there all the time.’

‘Question three. Name one thing on your bucket list.’ Dean clears his throat.

‘I would like to visit every state. Get a bumper sticker from each one, not that they’d ever go on Baby – wouldn’t want them to ruin the paintwork. But my biggest wish is probably to settle down. Have kids someday. You know, that perfect apple pie life with a little bit of excitement thrown in. Something like that.’

‘Question four. What would put you off someone?’

‘I’m kind of a private person. I know saying that on a reality TV show is an oxymoron, but it’s true. Sometimes I keep things to myself, and I need time to process them. Usually before I’m forced to talk about them. I agree, bottling stuff up isn’t great, but someone who always pried into every tiny thing about me; that would bother me.’

‘Okay, Dean. Last question. What eye colour do you think is the most attractive?’ Dean relaxes – he was expecting something deeper than that.

‘Honestly, the colour doesn’t bother me. I’d like something striking though. Something that when they open their eyes first thing in the morning, it would hit me. That those eyes belonged to someone who was mine. The thing you seek out in a crowd, the ones you can just feel on you.’ Jo is smiling opposite him. Even Jess has a smile on her face as she watches on the tablet on her lap.

‘Thank you, Dean. We’ll be asking the same questions to the remaining contestants. Tune back in after the break to see the final two’s answers!’ Jo smiles into the camera for a beat of five, and then the lights go down.

‘Well, that’s going to get a few people talking on Twitter,’ Jess says, coming over. ‘You really are a dream suitor, Dean. Thank you for making my first season show running this easy.’ She pauses. ‘Well, easier than previous seasons anyway.’

Dean stands, ready to be taken back to his cottage, for one more week. The windows on the car that bought him here were tinted, so he couldn’t make out much of the outside world, but he’s still looking forward to the journey back.

‘You’ll do your best to make sure I’m not stuck with an idiot, right?’ he asks Jess, as he’s climbing into the car. Jess pulls him into an unexpected hug, the lights on the road next to the studio flashing behind Dean’s closed eyes.

‘I’m not promising anything, but from the way the voting is going the final two will be just who you’re looking for. I don’t know which one’s going to win yet, but I’m not even sure it matters. I think you’d be perfect for either of them.’


	30. Chapter Thirty: Cas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short and sweet for you all today :)

‘Welcome to _The One!’_ The credits start rolling, but the air is the garden is no longer thick with tension. With just four of them left, there’s no panicking. Balthazar is leaning back on his chair, watching with mild interest, although he keeps getting distracted by the guy who came to clean the pool earlier.

He’s already told Cas that he can’t wait to leave tonight so he can go and get laid. Apparently being in this contest has given him his longest dry spell since he was 16.

Lisa’s watching the TV, and Crowley is flicking tiny pieces of lint and hair off his suit, even though it’s been gone over three times with a roller already.

Cas is watching the TV too. They’ve only got 15 minutes before they go live tonight, and he can’t quite get a handle on his nerves. He wants to get into the final. It’s almost a burning desire.

Because he wants to win. He wants to get married to Dean. From pretending it was a crush on someone from TV, Cas has started slipping into fantasies. About him and Dean driving down long stretches of highway, music on. Not even talking, just being together. Cas watching as Dean cooks for him, maybe slinging an apron on and helping. Going through Dean’s things to discover more about him. Getting to know the actual Dean and not the person he is on camera.

But getting to the final two means going against Lisa – Cas is pretty sure of that. Jess has been smiling more at the both of them all day, and he knows they had extra time spent on them in hair and make-up this evening.

And he likes Lisa. He really does. She’s sweet, but with this underlying mother bear fierceness that tells people not to cross her.

Cas watches the TV as they introduce their cars. He smiles as his ‘crappy’ Continental is shown for the first time. He looks at it next to the Impala. They don’t look that bad together, he finds himself thinking. Gold and black. Battered and well taken care of.

They do say opposites attract.

The karaoke segment is on next, each of them explaining why they chose that song, before their two-minute embarrassment is shown. Sam gives his verdict to the camera after each performance.

When Sam tells the audience that Mary used to sing him and Dean to sleep with _Hey Jude_ Cas feels a shock run though him.

It’s just a coincidence. Nothing more.

‘Up. Get up, we have three minutes till we’re live,’ Jess is gesturing at them from the side lines, assistants are running all over the place, and the screen goes blank. They won’t watch this part on TV although the screens will flicker back to life to show the final two interviews.

Cas’s is a bit of a blur. He doesn’t remember what he said, only that he was trying to be as truthful as possible.

‘Welcome back to _The One!’_ Jo says, suddenly standing in front of them. Cas finds the camera pointing at them, and hastily arranges his face into the stoic expression he’s had for every one of these so far.

This is it.

Except, at the same time, it isn’t.

There’s still another hoop to jump through after this, and Cas is terrified he’s going to fall short at the final hurdle. ‘This week viewers have been voting to get you down to the final two. Whoever remains will have their interviews shown on TV.’ There’s a rustle behind Cas. The assistants are out.

‘If you have made the final two, you will have a car attached to your bracelets.’ Jo holds up a tiny silver car on a charm. ‘If you have not, you will have the red X.’ She holds it up, and Cas’s stomach jolts. He’s grown to hate that red X. ‘If you have an X on your wrist, please walk forward for you have been eliminated.’ She smiles at them all. ‘Gentleman, the charms please.’

Cas feels the now familiar sensation of the charm being attached. He makes eye contact with Balthazar, who mouths ‘good luck’ at him.

At least if it’s Lisa and Crowley who get through to the final, Cas will know who he’ll be supporting.

The assistants disappear. Jo waits.

‘Lift your arms,’ she says.

They do.


	31. Chapter Thirty-One: Interviews

Dean finishes answering the questions on the screen, and it fades to black. When it comes on again it’s just Jo sitting in the room. ‘You’ve seen Dean’s answers. Now let’s see what the final two have to say.’

Black again. And then a pair of eyes opening, dark brown eyes filling the screen before the camera pulls back to reveal their owner.

Lisa Braden.

‘Lisa, you’ve made it to the final two – or at least if this is being shown you have. How do you think you’ll be feeling?’

‘Pretty great,’ Lisa says, laughing. ‘The more I see of Dean, the more I like him.’

‘Good, that’s what we want to hear. We asked Dean five questions earlier and now we’re going to put them to you. Answer as honestly as you can.’

Lisa nods. ‘Why did you apply to the show?’ Jo asks.

‘It’s hard for me to meet guys. Ever since I had my son, I don’t go out as much, and the ones I do meet tend to not be the kind of guys you want to raise a child with. I was thinking about applying to be the suitor on the show, but when you wanted women for contestants instead it seemed perfect – I had the chance of meeting a great guy, or I got voted off. At least I could say I tried.’

‘Question two. What in your opinion is your worst quality?’ Lisa bites her lip.

‘I’m an early riser. Up at five every morning, and I know that’s alien to some people.’ She pauses. ‘And I don’t see this as a bad quality, but I know I’m fiercely protective of my son. He’s the most important thing in my life, and nobody is ever going to change that. I guess, it’s that I will always put him first, no matter what. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but when you’re competing to marry a guy, I guess people should know Dean would be second – but I don’t think any other Mom would say anything different.’

‘Question Three. Name one thing on your bucket list.’

‘I’ve always wanted to visit India.’

‘Okay. Question four – what would put you off someone?’ Lisa thinks about it, leaning forward on her hand, shifting to the front of the seat.

‘I guess no parental instinct. Or if they felt they were Ben’s parent straight away. I don’t mind a little bit of encouragement, but get to know him first. Whoever I end up with, if we want to build something long term, they need to take it slow with him, find out who he is first, before they get to have a say in his life. The balance has to be right.’

‘Lisa, last question. This one is different from what Dean has been asked. Why do you want to win? What makes you think Dean is _The One?’_

Lisa laughs.

‘Honestly? I’m not sure he is. I like him, or at least what I’ve got to know about him. I think he’s the kind of person I’d like, and to be frank, he’s certainly the type of person I’d sleep with. He’s my type, that whole bad boy thing he’s got going on. He and Ben have lots in common, and I think he could come to be a good father figure to him.’

‘Just a quick follow up,’ Jo says. She’s leaning forward too, the lights making everything intense. ‘How would you feel if you didn’t win?’

Lisa hesitates.

‘Can I tell you something? It would all depend on who I ended up in the final with. I live with these guys all week, I see things that maybe they’re not even aware of themselves. I’m not going to say I’d step aside and let one of them win, because I am still hoping I will. But there’s one person who I think likes Dean more than I do. If that person gets to the final, and they end up winning – well, I think I’ll be more disappointed that I won’t be there in person to witness the wedding.’

‘Thank you, Lisa.’ Jo turns to face the camera. ‘If you think Lisa is _The One_ for Dean then vote for her using the number below. Voting will be open until next Saturday’s episode, where we hope you’ll be joining us live for the wedding.’

The screen goes black, and then it’s back to Jo, sitting in the room on her own.

‘And now, it’s time to meet the second of the final two.’

Black screen. Closed eyes.

And then a pair of bright blue eyes, the camera pulling back to reveal the final contestant.

Castiel Shurley.  

‘Congrats, Castiel. If this is being shown you’ve made it to the final two. How do you think you’ll be feeling?’ Jo asks.

‘Glad. To still be in the running. That people think I’m worthy of Dean.’

‘Okay. Well we’ve got five questions here that will be shown to the viewers. They’ve already been put to Dean. Question one. Why did you apply to this show?’

‘Balthazar made me. We’ve been friends for years, and when he heard the show was looking for gay or bisexual guys, he was like a dog with a bone. Wouldn’t leave me alone about it. And as I got further and further along in the process, it – this is going to sound ridiculous, forgive me – but for the first time in a long while it felt like I was in the right place. Maybe it’s just because of the wonderful people I’ve met here, several of whom I hope to keep in touch with once the show is over, if I win or not.’

‘That doesn’t sound ridiculous at all,’ Jo says. ‘Question two. In your opinion, what is your worst quality?’

‘I’m bad at communicating. Not face to face, I’m okay talking about feelings, but sometimes when I travel for my job, I’ll leave my cell in the rented car, or at the hotel and won’t check it for days. Weeks, even. I’m not much of a computer person either, so sometimes my friends can go a long time without hearing from me.’

‘Question three. Name one thing on your bucket list.’

‘Well I think world peace is too much to ask for. But I know, a bucket list is a goal you want to do, an experience.’ Cas is silent on screen, playing with his hands, mulling his words over. ‘I’d like to be able to bake something edible. Just once.’ Jo laughs.

‘Yes, I’m sure we all remember your pie. Question four. What would put you off dating someone?’

‘I like people with a good heart. If you don’t have one of them, that would put me off.’

‘Okay. Final question. It’s different to the one we asked Dean. If you didn’t win next Saturday, how would you feel? What makes you think Dean is _The One?’_

‘I’d be disappointed,’ Cas admits. ‘But I believe anyone would be. As for Dean being _The One…_ I’m not sure he is, not yet. I don’t think he could be for anyone in this contest. You need to meet someone to really know how you feel about them. I like Dean, that much is true. But we’re all a little bit removed from the realness of this, I think. I feel him and Balthazar would make some good stories, and that him and Crowley…well, they’d probably destroy the world. Dean and Lisa would make a perfect couple, and if she won, I’d be delighted for her.’

‘But you want to win, right? You want to walk down that aisle and marry Dean.’

‘I want to marry someone I love. And I think maybe that could be Dean. But I don’t know if he could love me back, and I don’t get any say in whether I win this or not. In this situation where next Saturday I could be sitting in a hotel room, in a wedding suit, watching Dean marry someone else, I can’t let myself fall that deeply. Not yet.’

‘Okay. Well thanks for your honesty, Cas. I’m not sure we’ve ever had anyone like you before.’ Jo turns to face the camera. ‘If you think Cas is _The One_ for Dean then vote for him using the number below. Voting will be open until next Saturday’s episode, where we hope you’ll be joining us live for the wedding.’

There’s another blackout for a moment, and then Jo is back. In a different dress, the setting sun behind her, outside the main house.

Cas and Lisa stand behind her, small silver cars dangling from their bracelets. Lisa is smiling brilliantly, and Cas looks completely shell shocked. ‘That’s it for this week’s episode of _The One._ Next week will be the final, where one of these two behind me will become Dean Winchester’s husband or wife. You don’t want to miss it, here on _The One!’_

The credits roll, the screen turning black for the final time.


	32. Chapter Thirty-Two: Dean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know everyone is really eager for this story to get to the final episode (although just to let you know, that isn't the final chapter), and I promise it is coming. I've overjoyed that you all love this story and feel it's like being an actual viewer! I know some chapters are a little on the shorter side, but I think when writing it, I was eager to get to (certain) places too, but still wanted to know what everyone's head space was, so I hope you'll put up with them for a little longer. 
> 
> Warnings; mentions of past drug addiction 
> 
> I'll see you on Monday :)

The week leading up to his wedding is one of the busiest Dean’s ever had. Every day Jess pops in with something for him to do for the website. They’re overloading it with material, due to popular demand. Apparently, it’s never had so many hits and they want to make the most of it.

Dean cooks pancakes, with his favourite topping. He talks about his favourite book, and which superhero he’d be. He’s asked for memories about his family, the happiest day of his life. He fixes his car, aware of the cameras pointing at him the whole time, finally getting sick of it when someone tells him to wriggle his ass a bit more.

By the time Friday evening comes around, Dean’s too tired and frustrated to be nervous about the next day. His five F&F have come over for dinner, a final evening spent together before Dean becomes a husband.

They won’t know who’s won either until the curtain down the middle of the aisle drops.

Charlie spends the whole night grinning and when Dean asks her why she’s so happy, she just winks at him and says he’ll find out soon enough.

Benny, Mary and John leave pretty early, and Dean’s left alone with Sam and Charlie. They’re staying the night as a sort of depressing bachelor party.  

Jess has even banned them from drinking – they can’t edit their faces on a live show. If they show up looking anything other than fresh tomorrow, there’s going to be hell to pay.

Dean’s sitting at the table. Charlie’s outside making a phone call that Dean guesses is with the previous contestant, since he’s not allowed to hear. He’s glad it’s worked out for them.

‘Dean?’ Sam calls down from Dean’s bedroom, and Dean’s up like a shot. He didn’t even realise Sam was upstairs.

This can’t be good.

Sam’s staring at his wall of pictures. ‘What are these?’

Dean just shakes his head. He can’t have this conversation, not when he knows everything they’re saying can be heard.

This can’t be how it all comes out. Jo could lose her job. Jess could lose hers.

‘Why are you in here?’ Dean asks instead. There’s a noise from downstairs, Charlie coming in and calling for them.

‘I left something last time I was over,’ Sam says. There’s a book behind on the bed, the old _Supernatural Information_ by James Novak Dean was reading last week.

‘And you needed it back right this second? Don’t you have all of them?’ Dean asks. He’s keeping the subject away from the drawings.

But Sam seems just as determined to keep the subject away from the book.

‘Seriously, Dean, what are these? Did you do them? Because if you did maybe we should get you a therapist,’ Sam says, staring at the one with the big gaping mouth and people jumping into it.

Dean’s about to confess that they’re his. That being stuck in here has been going to his head, when Charlie comes up behind him in the doorway.

‘You have five minutes. I’m not giving you any more than that,’ she says, tapping the tablet in her hand. ‘It’s not fair to anyone who’s worked hard on this show, people who I like. But I’ve jammed the mic so if you guys need to say something, say it now.’

‘These are from the contestant’s,’ Sam says. ‘How did you even get them?’

‘I’ve got friends in high places,’ Dean says. ‘And don’t ask who, because I’m not selling them out. I know what you’re going to say, but it’s stupid. They don’t tell me anything about who the person is,’ Sam’s gaze slides to the picture of the guy sitting on the throne, then to the cartoon mythical creatures. ‘And I don’t know who made the final two. Sam, I know you’ve got this thing going with Jess, but you can’t tell her. I needed this, okay? You can’t understand what it’s like to be stuck in a house all day every day for six weeks.’

‘Can’t I?’ Sam snorts. Their gazes meet and a flash of memories pass between them. Of a long hot summer, Sam locked in his room, Mary and John going out of their mind with worry, but Dean determined not to let his brother out so he could get drugs.

They never talk about that year, or Sam’s ex-girlfriend. He’s come a long way since then, and Dean doesn’t like being reminded about it either.

‘Okay,’ Charlie says. She knows that Sam was an addict, but even she doesn’t know the full extent of the details. The whole family made a promise long ago that it would only be told to their partners. ‘I thought maybe you’d want to exchange words about how Dean getting married wouldn’t change anything between the two of you. I can see I was wrong.’ She takes a step into the room, looking at the pictures. ‘You went to sleep facing them every night?’ Dean nods. ‘Well, there’s no point fighting about it now is there? He’s right Sam – there’s not a lot that these tell him. And it’s all over in 48 hours anyway. If they gave Dean some small sense of comfort shouldn’t you be grateful?’ She’s giving Sam a meaningful look, then slides her gaze to the bed. ‘You have a minute left if you did want to say anything mushy and brotherly to each other. I’ll be downstairs.’ She leaves.

‘She’s right. It’s the evening before your wedding. Aren’t I supposed to offer words of advice?’ Sam says.

‘What words would those be?’ Dean asks. Sam’s dating history is almost as bad as Dean’s.

‘Good point. Maybe just remember this a show and no one will care if you don’t end up married to your soul mate tomorrow.’

‘You got a favourite?’ Dean asks.

‘They’re both really nice. Have I formed a bond with one more than the other? Yes. Will I be disappointed if that person doesn’t win? Yes, a little. But I don’t think it’s a second-choice situation. Whichever one you end up with, you’ll be fine.’ Sam looks at the pictures again. ‘Which is saying something, because some of the ones you could have ended up with.’ Sam shakes his head.

‘Time’s up bitches!’ Charlie’s voice floats from downstairs. ‘Now what do you say we get this party started?’ When they get downstairs, they see she’s got the _Game of Thrones_ box set out. ‘I was thinking we should watch the Red Wedding episode. At least you know your wedding won’t be that bad.’


	33. Chapter Thirty-Three: Cas

It’s midnight when Cas gives up on sleep. He wraps the robe around his cotton PJ’s and leaves his room, deciding to spend a little time in the garden. The grass is a little wet as he walks over to the wicker swing. He hasn’t sat in it once the entire time he’s been here, but it seems like the perfect place to sit for a while tonight.

There’s a cool breeze blowing, and Cas lets his head fall back, closing his eyes, gently rocking. The chain doesn’t even squeak.

Tomorrow could be the biggest night of his life.

Or it could not be.

He hasn’t had much time to think of the wedding. Jess has kept him and Lisa busy. They had to cook pancakes (Lisa’s were thick and fluffy. Cas’s were thin and a little burned but he slathered them in peanut butter and jelly which Jess told him was kind of creative, so at least he’s got that going for him), and she had Cas talk about his books for a couple of hours. They’ve had fittings for their outfits tomorrow and been over the plan so many times Cas has it permanently running through his brain.

They’ll be called at eleven am. Taken to the venue, a little wedding chapel half an hour away from the main house. Jess had been slightly panicky all week – with Cas still in the running, it could be a gay wedding, and the preacher they’d used for all the previous seasons had declared he wouldn’t officiate.

They’d found someone else in the end, and Cas knows it’s nothing to do with him personally, but he can’t help feel guilty for causing Jess another stressful situation to take care of.

At 4pm, they’ll be taken to one of the separate rooms on the outskirts of the chapel to start getting ready. Suit (or dress) on, hair and make-up styled. Once Dean and his family have arrived and get set up inside, both Lisa and Cas will be led to the outside of the chapel.  

At 8pm, Jo will announce one of them the winner. One of them will have a red X attached to their bracelet, while the other will have a #1 silver charm on theirs (designed especially for the show).

In the ad break one of them will be led to a waiting car (along with the family members they were allowed to invite) and taken to the hotel the next road over to greet the other contestants before they watch Dean marry the other at the viewing party the hotel hosted each year.

The other will walk down the aisle.

The aisle which will be split in two by a silk white curtain. On one side Dean will be waiting.

And once the winner gets to the end, the curtain will drop and they’ll marry Dean Winchester.

Lisa’s family had arrived earlier – her son Ben, her sister and her niece. They’d invited Cas to join them for the evening, but he hadn’t wanted to intrude. He could tell that Lisa’s sister was sure Lisa would be walking down the aisle tomorrow, and he didn’t want to make them uncomfortable as they gushed about Dean and how married life would be.

Cas doesn’t have anyone here for him. Jess hadn’t been able to contact Gabe again, and Balthazar had to remain with the other ex-contestants.

Even if he’s not getting married tomorrow, there’s still the day after to consider. Luke’s story coming out in the media. Jess spent half an hour with him and a reporter today. Not that Cas said much. He explained he’d had no idea about Luke till the first week of filming, and left it at that.  

‘Great minds,’ says a voice from the door, and Cas opens his eyes to see Lisa walking towards him. She hasn’t bothered with a robe, just wearing shorts and a tank top. She shivers a little as she steps onto the grass. ‘Couldn’t sleep either, huh?’ She takes the seat next to him.

‘I’m finding it a little difficult to lose conscious,’ Cas admits.

‘Me too. Ben’s snoring and my mind won’t stop spinning. But it’s like do I even need to bother? Today could change my life, but it also couldn’t. And not just if I marry Dean. If I win, it opens up a whole other load of questions, another set of will my life change or not. We could get married and divorced after the honeymoon. I don’t want to move Ben. He likes his school.’ Lisa tips her head back and laughs. ‘I should have thought of these things before I even applied, but I was looking at the chances. What was it Meg said the first night? Our chances of getting to here were like 1 in 300,000 or something?’

‘I keep thinking about what Anna said,’ Cas admits, slowly. He doesn’t usually get so invested in friendships with almost strangers, but this whole situation has made everything so much more intense. And if Lisa can share her worries, so can he.

‘Anna? The one who was here so she could have sex on her wedding night without breaking her no sex before marriage vow to God?’ Cas nods. ‘What did she say?’

‘About America not voting for a gay wedding.’ Lisa stops the swing from moving, and looks at Cas.

‘That’s complete bullshit and you know it. Okay, maybe if this show was on in the afternoon, or a segment on a talk show or something. But we’re an entertainment show. You know why Jess has made us do a hundred things this week for the website? Because the younger generation of people are watching, and trust me they are the people who will be voting in their thousands. Millions, even. And they have no issue with sexual orientation. My niece has already told me if I wasn’t the other contestant she’d be rooting for you on principal alone.’ She takes her foot off the ground, letting the swing move again.

Cas looks at the stars. It’s not true what they say about not being able to see them because of the artificial lights. Sure, there might not be as many, and they might not fill the whole sky, but they are there. Tiny pinpricks of silver.

‘Do you think you and Dean could make it work?’ he asks. ‘I know we both like him, think he’s a decent human being. But sometimes I think about us and I wonder how well we’d get on. He said he was stubborn and I am too. I imagine that our house might be a pretty tense place sometimes. Plus, the travelling. Does Dean seem like the type of person who’d put up with me being gone for two months at a time, at least twice a year? He couldn’t come with me, not with his job. Or his fear of flying.’

‘Cas if you’re expecting something perfect, you’re going to break up with everyone you ever date. When I stop and think about it, no. Me and Dean. There are a hundred different reasons why we might not work. I get up at five, and he sleeps till eight. I have a boring mundane life filled with PTA meetings and bake sales, and picking Ben up from baseball practise. Fitness is a big part of my life and Dean eats burgers three times a week, and thinks jogging is pointless.’ The swing has come to a stop and Lisa reaches her foot down to make it move again. ‘There are a hundred reasons why anyone might not work, Cas, but there are also a thousand why you might.’ They swing in silence for a while longer. When Lisa speaks again her voice is soft. ‘I know what you’re doing Cas, and I get it. But I won’t judge you. I don’t judge you for having feelings for Dean. If you need to list all the reasons why it wouldn’t work to make yourself feel better if you don’t win tomorrow, I understand.’ Lisa stands, heading back to the house. ‘And maybe this is just what I tell me, to protect myself if I don’t win tomorrow, but you should know I’m rooting for you.’ She squeezes his shoulder, then leaves him alone in the cool night air, with nothing but the stars above.


	34. Chapter Thirty-Four: Dean

The clock ticks around to 19.55 and Dean feels his heartbeat increase. They’re out there now. Waiting to go live.

In a moment, someone will come and fetch Dean. He’ll stand at the end of the aisle, Benny, Sam, Charlie, Mary and John behind him.

He wonders who the other person has got on their side. If they’ve got people who are nervous too, or crying like Mary. She’s already been in to give him a hug and check he’s still okay.

Dean doesn’t really have a choice. He can’t back out now.

Plus, he thinks if he did Jess would probably murder him. She’d probably rather have a dead body to deal with than a jilted contestant.

Dean wanted to ask his Mom who she was hoping would win, but he didn’t. He’s asked them all enough times. There’s nothing they can tell him now; one way or another he’ll find out everything soon.

He spent the day packing up the little cottage. He thought he might be a little sad to see the end of it, but he was actually excited to leave it behind. More than five rooms to potter about in. More than a driveway to walk to the end of. Everything he bought with him is in a suitcase. The pictures are folded up and tucked away in an inside pocket. Dean’s grown quite attached to them. Even knowing that he’s soon going to be able to put a face and name to who drew them didn’t make him want to throw them away. They’re reminders of his time here, and if he’s going off previous seasons, them and the divorce certificate will be the only things he gets out of this experience.

Dean doesn’t know what’s happened to his suitcase. He assumes it will be waiting for him at the hotel for tonight, but he’s not taking it on his honeymoon with him.

Another bout of nerves take off in his stomach at the idea of the honeymoon. There’s been an online vote for where to send them. But he already knows it’s going to involve flying. Charlie’s promised to get him some pills that will knock him out for the flight.

He moves his mind away from those thoughts instead concentrating on something that won’t bring him out in a nervous sweat. He thinks about how he’ll finally get to meet Charlie’s new girlfriend tomorrow. How he’ll get to watch all the episodes and online content. Jess has told him they’ve loaded the TV in the honeymoon suite with the episodes. If he wanted he could go straight from the chapel and find out who he could have had.

‘Knock, knock,’ Jess says, stepping into the room. ‘Well, don’t you scrub up well.’ Dean runs a hand over the tux they’ve got him in. Simple, classic, black.

‘You’re not too bad yourself,’ he says, and she laughs. He’s used to seeing her in smart outfits, but today she’s wearing a skin-tight dress with sky scraper heels. ‘Are you trying to impress someone?’

‘Shut up,’ she advises him. ‘Although I will just say that my feet are already killing me and I’m still only up to Sam’s shoulder.’ She walks into the room, fussing a little with his bow tie. ‘I’ve got two minutes before I have to be outside. I just wanted to say thank you. I know staying in the cottage isn’t easy and I know having no information is even harder. Well, almost no information,’ Jess says. She raises an eyebrow at him, and Dean suddenly gets the feeling that she knows. Every little thing. About the pictures and the jammed microphones, about the looped film. ‘Every season the suitor finds a way to get a little bit of information. But I trust you and everyone who was involved this season. I trust they haven’t given you a list of names and their dating profiles.’ She smooths the material on his shoulders. ‘Come on. It’s time.’ Taking his arm, she leads him outside.

There are his parents, and Charlie and Sam. The chapel is small, just a couple of pews on each side. Colourful glass windows which give the place a cheerful feel.

There’s a preacher standing at the front, not the one from the previous seasons. He smiles at Dean, greeting him warmly.

Jess slips out the door, Sam watching her walk away.

The curtain next to Dean is a long billowy thing, and he can’t see a thing through it. He can’t hear any rustling from behind it either, although maybe it’s because his heartbeat seems overly loud.

He thinks about the previous seasons of _The One._ How he’d be at home, surrounded by snacks, supporting who he wanted to win. It would be the talk in the fire station for at least a week afterwards, trying to find out every bit of gossip they could about the newly married couple.

Dean takes a deep breath.

There’s no turning back now.


	35. Chapter Thirty-Five: Cas

Everything is silent.

It’s doing nothing for Cas’s nerves. Usually when they go live, the cameramen are chatting away to each other, Jo’s smiling at a few of them. But Jo’s in front of them now, serious look on her face, fiddling with her earpiece. The cameramen aren’t speaking. There aren’t even any bird noise to concentrate on.

Cas pulls at the jacket on his black tux. It’s the nicest thing he’s ever worn.

Lisa looks amazing. She’s in a simple white dress, which sets off her tanned skin nicely, black hair in a sweeping wave over her shoulder.

The car waiting to take one of them to the hotel is behind them. Lisa’s family are waiting at the side of the chapel, ready to go in if need be. Ben keeps waving at them, grinning, and her sister is shooting her thumbs up.

Cas looks away.

There are two assistants, all dressed in black leaning on the car. One of them is holding the silver #1 charm, and one of them has the red X.

They’ll be the first to know who’s won, so they can line themselves up behind the correct person.

‘Hey!’ Jess steps out of the chapel, and around to their side of the curtain. It leads all the way down the aisle, and outside. Dean’s on the other side, his F&F sitting behind him. ‘You look like you’re going to throw up,’ she says to Cas. ‘We go on air in one minute. Are you going to be okay?’

Cas nods. Right now, he’s not sure what he’s hoping for more – to win and get to marry Dean or to lose and be off air within the next five minutes. ‘Okay. Right, positions, please.’ Cas and Lisa take a stand next to each other. Lisa’s hand finds his and she squeezes it. ‘You know the plan. Take a deep breath and smile.’ Jess gives them both a quick hug, wishing them both luck, and then steps back out of the camera line.

There’s the countdown, and then Jo’s brilliant smile lights up her face.

‘Hello and welcome to the finale of season eleven here at _The One!_ You’ve been voting in your millions and in just a moment we’ll be finding out who you’ve chosen to marry Dean Winchester, this year’s suitor. The phone lines have been closed and your votes have been counted and verified. Gentlemen, the charms please.’

There’s a brief second of nothing, and Cas pictures the person in the control room telling the assistants which contestant to get behind.

Then there’s someone behind him.

He knows he promised Jess he wasn’t going to be sick, but he’s wondering if he might have to go back on that. ‘Please attach the charms to the contestant’s bracelets,’ Jo says. There’s the familiar tugging on Cas’s wrist, and he imagines he can hear the gentle snapping of the charm as it’s clicked into place.

He thinks about the hotel, where everyone will be watching the TV right now. Wonders if everyone’s supporting one or the other of them, or just doesn’t care anymore, now they’re no longer in the running.

‘Cas and Lisa. For the past six weeks, you have been putting your best foot forward, hoping to be _The One_ who catches the viewer’s votes, and wins this marriage to Dean. Today one of your lives is going to change. I hope, for whichever one of you wins, that Dean Winchester is your one.’

Cas takes a deep breath. ‘Lift your arms.’

They lift them, Cas’s gaze shifting just a second later to catch the new charm on his bracelet.

And then, the whole world stopping, Cas slowly walks forward.


	36. Chapter Thirty-Six: Dean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love you all <3
> 
> ...Are you ready?

The organ music starts, swelling to reach the notes.

Dean stands straight. His eyes are on the back of the church, like they would be in a normal wedding, waiting for his partner to walk in. But he can’t see anything.

He turns, so he’s facing the white curtain. Any second now.

There’s a cheer from the other side, and then nothing. Dean can’t even hear footsteps.

The wild thought that maybe they’ve jilted him crosses his mind. What if they just entered this whole thing for a joke, to make light of the reality TV genre?

But the music is still playing, and now Jo has slipped into the back pew, along with someone dressed all in black, and a cameraman.

The music cuts, and Dean takes a deep breath, stealing himself. This is it.

The curtain drops.

 

And Dean finds himself staring into a pair of bright blue eyes, small wrinkles at the side, and a face full of disbelief.

‘Hello, Dean,’ the vision in front of him says, holding out a hand. On autopilot, Dean shakes it, something like sparks travelling up his arm at the first contact. He notes the silver bracelet on the guy’s wrist, charms arranged a little haphazardly around the chain. There’s a silver #1 charm nestled in the fine black hair on his wrist. ‘I’m Castiel Shurley. It’s nice to finally meet you.’ The guy pauses. ‘I’m about to become your husband.’

There’s whopping from behind him, and Dean turns, noting that Mary, Sam, and Charlie are all grinning. Charlie’s even fist pumping the air.

He looks behind Castiel. Only four people are on his side; Jess who looks like she’s crying, another person in black, another cameraman, and a short guy with longish brown hair who’s whooping. ‘Is that okay?’ Castiel asks.

Dean takes in the messy dark hair, the lean body under the tux, and slight tilt of Castiel’s head as he asks the question.

Castiel is the winner, _The One_ he’s been waiting for for six weeks.

Dean finds a smile spreading over his own face.

‘That is more than okay,’ Dean says.

They both turn to face the front, as the preacher starts his speech.


	37. Chapter Thirty-Seven: Dean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a day late, but life got in the way. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the aftermath.

It takes about one minute for Dean to realise confetti gets everywhere.

It also takes him one minute to realise that nothing is as awkward as having to hold hands with your new husband, and smile for photos, when you only met the man fifty minutes ago.

For the first time, Dean finds himself thankful for the cameras.

He forgot about being broadcast live to millions of people, the actual wedding taking priority in his mind. He said lines he’d only ever heard on TV before, never looking away from the face of his new husband.

But Dean doesn’t remember anything else. He doesn’t remember his Mom starting to cry again, or Jess and Sam migrating towards each other, and ending up leaving the chapel, Sam’s arm around her waist. He couldn’t tell you why everybody laughed when the pastor pronounced them ‘husband and husband’, although he thinks it was a comment made from the short guy on Castiel’s side. He doesn’t remember the interview he had to give to the camera, about his first impressions of Castiel (good. Like really good), or what his friends and family said about their feelings about him either.

But at least he’ll have it all on film.

He remembers the kiss though. Just a little thing, his lips on the corner of Castiel’s mouth.

He remembers it set something he hadn’t felt in a really long time off in him.

Dean’s got no issue with kissing strangers. He’s been known to have the odd one night stand before, and he’d be lying if he said he’d known all their names.  

But he got the feeling Castiel would prefer something more reserved.

They’re still holding hands, while Jo gives her closing speech to camera. Jess is smiling, still in Sam’s grip as they all stand outside the chapel, Charlie being very over enthusiastic in her confetti throwing.

‘You voted in your millions to make Castiel Shurley this year’s winner. The online vote is also in, and the happy couple will be visiting Paris for their honeymoon!’ Jo turns to hand Castiel a blue envelope, which he tucks into an inside pocket. 

‘That’s all for this season folks! Your winner Castiel Shurley has married Dean Winchester, after your votes crowned him _The One!_ Don’t forget to check the website over the next few days to see Dean meeting the ex-contestants at the reunion party tomorrow night.’ Jo looks over her shoulder at them. ‘And remember to check back with us next year, where we’ll be catching up with the happy couple to see if they really are _The One!’_ There’s a shout of ‘cut’ and then everything goes mad.

Dean’s crushed by people hugging him, and he loses Castiel’s hand as he’s pulled from the crowd. There’s even more confetti raining down now, getting in his mouth, and his hair.

‘Congratulations!’ Charlie yells in his ear. ‘I’m so happy for you! And Dorothy is going to be over the moon.’ A brief look of panic crosses her face, but then she laughs. ‘It feels so good to be able to tell you her name! I’m been so scared that I’d slip up and something would come out! But now I can tell you all about her!’ There’s a phone ringing somewhere, and the cheering gets louder, from the side.

Dean looks over, seeing a large group of people, all tucked behind barriers, waving at him. Some of them are holding signs up; ‘Cas is my one,’ or ‘Lisa to win.’

Lisa and Dorothy.

And Castiel.

That’s three.

But Dean’s attention is snatched away again, this time by Jess, who gives him a hug too. ‘How’re you feeling? You’re a husband now.’

‘I’m a little overwhelmed,’ Dean admits. ‘And I seem to have lost my new husband.’ Jess gestures to the side of the chapel where Castiel is chatting to the brown haired stranger.

‘He’s saying hey to his brother. We didn’t know he’d be coming until he turned up five minutes before we went live.’ She shakes her head.

‘I bet you’re happy,’ Dean says. ‘It’s all over for another year.’ Jess snorts.

‘Are you kidding? Dean this is only the start. I still need to get the online content uploaded, and wait for the official viewing figures to come in. There’s the party tomorrow, and stories that will come out in the press over the next few weeks. I need to get feedback from the network, and then start planning for next year.’

‘Oh,’ Dean says. Everything had kind of come down to today for him. The world seems to open up a little as he thinks about what comes next.

‘But you’re right. I am happy,’ Jess says. ‘Your brother is a big part of that.’ Dean nods.

‘Yeah, I think everyone’s got that,’ he says. ‘That’s you and Sam, Charlie and Dorothy. You think me and Cas can take it to three?’

‘I don’t know,’ she says. ‘What I do know is that I’ve been rooting for Cas since week three.’ She leaves him at that, going to talk to Jo.

His parents come over to congratulate him and Dean lets himself get swept back up in the emotions.


	38. Chapter Thirty-Eight: Cas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always planned to have this story finished by the end of the week, so I'm posting another chapter now so I can keep on schedule.  
> This is a longer chapter than almost all of the previous ones, and I know people have been asking for those so I hope it was worth waiting for. 
> 
> :)

‘We didn’t think you were coming,’ Cas says to Gabe.

‘What and miss your wedding day? Not a chance bro,’ Gabe says, slapping him on the shoulder. ‘I was travelling down when Jess was trying to contact me. That’s why I couldn’t answer.’

Cas finds his gaze back on his new husband. He can’t seem to stop looking at him. ‘Stop it,’ Gabe says.

Cas switches his attention back to his brother.

‘Stop what?’ he asks. He wasn’t aware he needed to stop anything.

‘I can see the gears spinning in your head already. Whatever you’re thinking about. Don’t let it fester.’

‘I’m happy to have won. I’m happy to have married Dean,’ Cas admits. ‘But what about what comes after? Was I stupid to convince myself that this would be the end? There’s so much more that I need to figure out now. And what if things go wrong, and Dean’s life is worse for knowing me. What was I thinking? This was all for a TV show, we’re never going to last.’

Gabe is shaking his head. ‘Cas, stop it. Yes, this was for a TV show, but why should that make it any less real? What makes it less real than downloading an app and meeting someone on the phone? And don’t say it’s because you don’t know him. You know more about him than some of your previous partners and you didn’t get in your head about them.’

‘It’s just a lot to take in,’ Cas says. But he takes a deep breath. One time at a day. That’s all he can do.

Plus, once Dean finds out about him, he might not even get tomorrow.

 

**

 

The car ride to the hotel is filled with shared looks, soft smiles and heated cheeks. They don’t say much, but that’s okay. Cas has got something to tell Dean anyway.

When they reach their room, Cas finds the wardrobe already stocked with clothes for them. Their phones, fully charged, are waiting for them on the bedside table, and there’s a USB stick next to the TV. A laptop is lying on the bed, surrounded by a heart shape made from pink petals.

Dean throws his suit jacket over the striped chair in the corner of the room.

‘Not too shabby. I usually just stay in motels whenever I go anywhere,’ Dean says.

Cas has to admit the room is beautiful. Sand coloured walls, with a dark oak boarder running around the middle, and a cream coloured carpet.

He’s a little too aware of the bed though. There’s a sofa on the other side of the room, long enough that Cas could spend the night there. ‘So, I know it’s our wedding night and all, but I’ve spent six weeks wondering who’s been competing for me, and I’d really like to watch the episodes,’ Dean says, picking up the USB stick and slotting it into the side of the TV.

‘Dean. There’s something I need to tell you.’ Cas stays standing by the door. He watches as Dean turns to look at him, face cautious.

‘Don’t tell me you want out already? I know they always shot from my best side but I’m not that bad in person, am I?’

‘No. No, that’s not what this is,’ Cas says. ‘There’s something about me I need to tell you.’

Dean walks to the bed, remote in hand. ‘Tomorrow morning the papers are going to run a story about my brother. About how he’s in jail for murder.’

‘You’re the guy with the brother he didn’t know about? Cas, man, that’s a lot to take. How’re you feeling?’ Cas blinks. Moves a little further into the room.

‘You knew about it?’ Dean gets a guilty look on his face. ‘How?’

‘I eavesdropped. I’m a rebel, I know, but Jess was talking to Sam about whether or not to tell me. She chose not to in the end, but it could have swung either way.’

Cas waits for Dean to tell him to go. That he doesn’t want to be married to someone who’s got evil in the family. ‘They’re releasing the story tomorrow?’ Cas nods. ‘Man, that sucks. And Jess couldn’t get them to drop it?’

Cas debates how much to tell Dean. That Jess was the one who pushed to get it released tomorrow, so it wouldn’t overshadow the show.

‘She wanted to wait until I was voted off to release it. Luke – my brother – had already told them everything. The best she could do was get them to wait.’

‘When did you find out about all of this?’

‘The day we baked the pies.’

A silence settles on the room.

Cas looks at Dean on the bed – at his husband – and feels something swelling up inside of him. He doesn’t want to leave. He wants to try and get to know this guy, with the green eyes, and the freckles that didn’t show up that great on camera, but Cas spent the whole of their wedding ceremony counting.

He’s going to have to fight. ‘I understand this is a lot to take in, and I’d also understand if you wanted me to leave.’

‘Cas, man, I don’t want you to leave. I knew about the murder thing, and I’d be lying if I said it hadn’t given me pause for a second. But you didn’t know the guy existed.’ Dean hesitates. ‘I have a brother. Another brother, not Sam. My dad kept him a secret from us for years and then one day he just turns up, announces he’s John Winchester’s son. I was so angry. Didn’t speak to Dad for almost two months.’ Cas moves a little further towards the bed.

‘My parents both left. Dad when I was young, Mom in my twenties. The last contact I ever had with them were notes left on the kitchen table.’

‘That sucks, man. But no, Cas. I don’t want you to leave. We’ll deal with the story tomorrow, but then we’ll be off in Paris. By the time we come back, the whole thing will have blown over.’

There’s nothing but truthfulness on Dean’s face. Cas takes a final step towards the bed, then sinks down onto the end of the mattress.

‘Okay.’

‘Is that everything? No other secrets you need to tell me?’ Dean asks.

‘Not that I’m aware of,’ Cas says.

‘Great.’ Dean sits back on the bed, flips the remote once in his hand, and turns the TV on. Six different episodes come up on the menu screen. ‘You okay to watch these?’

‘Sure,’ Cas says. Dean still doesn’t press the button to play the first episode.

‘Cas, if you wanna move up, you can. I’m not going to bite. That’s not really my style.’ Dean grins at him, and it makes something flutter in Cas’s chest.

He takes his jacket off, folding it over the seat of the chair next to their bed, and then scoots back so he’s lying next to Dean. ‘You’ve seen these, right? Anything I need to be prepared for?’

Cas smiles. ‘That would spoil the fun.’

 

**

Cas scrolls through six weeks of messages on his phone while Dean is watching the episodes. He’s giving a running commentary on them though so Cas knows where he’s up to.

Dean’s eyes almost pop out of his head when Pete is shown on screen, and he turns to Cas.

‘That’s not really him, is it?’ Pete’s information appears, and Dean relaxes a little. ‘Thank god for that. I don’t think I would have been able to string two words together in his presence if it was the actor.’

‘He’s not that good looking,’ Cas says off-hand. He doesn’t get the whole long hair, cowboy boots thing.

‘Hey, don’t be jealous. You’re better looking, but the idea of meeting someone I spend every week watching make out with people in closets would really mess with my head. That came out wrong, but you know what I mean.’

Cas smiles.

Dean thinks he’s better looking than _Dr. Sexy._

For the next few minutes, Dean laughs to himself or makes noises of disgust. ‘Balthazar. You and him were friends before? Someone said something about it earlier.’ Cas nods, but that’s all Dean seems to require so he goes back to his messages.

After ten minutes, he becomes aware of the now silent room. Dean has paused the TV and is staring at him.

‘What?’ Cas looks at the TV for guidance, but it’s just him, Sam and Aaron talking at the garden party.

‘You’re James Novak? _Supernatural Information_ James Novak? Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘It’s not really how I lead into a conversation.’

‘Well, I don’t usually start out saying ‘I do’ but that’s how we met.’ Cas has to give him that. ‘No wonder Sam was acting all weird about the book.’ Dean explains to Cas about Sam leaving his book at the cottage he was staying in. ‘Did Sam just implode with excitement when you told him? I bet he did. You’re his favourite.’ Cas nods towards the TV.

‘His reaction is on next.’

‘Alright, alright.’ Dean holds his hands up and presses play.

When Sam tells Cas it’s an honour to meet him, Dean laughs and says ‘I knew it.’

Episode one comes to an end. ‘I know that none of them win, but is it weird for me to root for people? That they get further than week one?’ Dean asks.

‘As long as you don’t end up rooting for someone else to win, I think we’ll be fine,’ Cas answers. Dean laughs.

‘Dorothy seems nice. You’d tell me if there was anything weird about her, right? Hey, don’t give me that look, I just want to make sure she’s good enough for Charlie.’

‘Dorothy is brilliant for Charlie. Which you’ll see,’ Cas says, nodding at the TV.

Dean presses play for the second episode.

‘This is pie baking, right? You found out about Luke the day this was filmed?’ Cas nods again. ‘Didn’t that show?’

‘I have a very good expressionless face,’ Cas explains. The episode starts.

‘I can’t wait to see which pie you baked.’ Cas feels a flutter of nerves, but Dean’s not going to dump him already because he can’t bake.

Probably.

Halfway into the episode Dean snorts. ‘You can’t bake, can you? They sent me a selection of pies that had been made, including yours.’

‘Sorry,’ Cas says. ‘It really should have been thrown in the trash.’

‘It’s alright,’ Dean says. ‘I guess I’ll just have to bake the desserts. How are you with cooking?’

‘Pretty good. I try and learn a new meal whenever I visit somewhere, so I’ve got a few dishes up my sleeve.’ Their eyes meet and they share a smile.

And Cas is suddenly all too aware that they’re sitting on a bed.

On their wedding night.

Episode two ends and Dean pauses the TV on the first five to leave the contest.

‘Upset that they didn’t get further?’ Cas asks.

‘Not really. I don’t think I saw enough of any of them. Except Gordon and I really didn’t want to see more.’

Dean inches a little bit towards the centre of the bed, kicking his shoes off the side. Cas does the same.

‘LARPing. I have been waiting to see this one,’ Dean says as the third episode loads.

Cas goes back to his phone. ‘Wow. Charlie had to be around Dorothy wearing that and they still didn’t give into temptation?’ Dean gives a low whistle.

Cas becomes aware that the TV is paused yet again and turns to look at Dean. ‘Can I see it?’ One glance at the TV tells Cas what Dean means, and he lifts his shirt, exposing the tattoo.

‘Your turn,’ Cas says, dropping the material back down.

But Dean doesn’t appear to have heard. ‘Dean?’

‘Yeah, sure, sorry.’ Unbuttoning the top three buttons of his shirt, Dean pulls the collar away, to show Cas his tattoo.

‘I’ve seen them before. When I was writing my book about demons and hell. I didn’t know people actually got them on their body,’ Cas says. He wants to reach out and trace the lines of the star in the middle, feel the smoothness of Dean’s skin.

But that might be a little much.

‘Well, like I said Sam is obsessed with you. He actually got the idea of us getting them after reading your book. It was a going away gift, something to link us together when he went off to law school.’

‘That’s sweet,’ Cas says.

‘Yeah.’ The episode starts up again.

‘Okay, I am totally on board the Dorothy and Charlie train. We are going to make one hell of a foursome at the next LARPing event.’

We. Dean said we.  

 ‘A duel on your first visit? Are you crazy?’ Dean says a little while later.

‘I used to fence.’ Dean shakes his head, and Cas just waits. He pretends to look at his phone, but he’s found that watching Dean watch the episodes is more interesting than replying to emails from his agent.

Dean’s chuckling to himself at Balthazar, and then his body shifts a little closer to Cas as he leans in to get a better view of the TV.

Cas heartbeat picks up. Dean’s shirt is still gaping, and he can make out the edges of his tattoo.

While Dean’s distracted by the duel onscreen, Cas takes his tie off, throwing it over his coat on the chair. He only notices as he’s tugging it off that it’s been on backwards.

He wonders how long it’s looked like that for.

‘Wow,’ Dean says. He’s let the episode play, but he’s looking at Cas.

Cas feels a flash of heat go through him. ‘I know you’re my husband but I’m a little nervous right now.’

‘Why?’ Cas asks, his voice quiet. Laughter rings out from the screen, but neither of them are paying attention.

‘Cause I really wanna kiss you.’

‘Okay,’ Cas says. It’s his turn to shift closer on the bed.

He’s usually pretty good at this. Has no qualms about making the first move, putting his lips on the other person’s mouth.

But he lets Dean take the lead.

Their faces are close together now, eyes roaming over each other. Cas notices the fine dark hair on Dean’s jaw, the five-o clock shadow creeping in. Their breaths are mingling together, and then Dean makes a tiny move, and their lips meet.

It’s slow and cautious, and still the best kiss of Cas’s life. Dean’s lips suck gently at his bottom lip, and Cas moves a hand up to cup Dean’s face, smoothing his thumb over Dean’s cheek.

They break apart after a minute, neither one of them wanting to push anything further.

‘Was that okay?’ Dean asks. ‘I know we’ve only just met.’ Cas laughs.

‘It was okay, Dean. Nice, actually. I think we might have to do it again at some point.’ Dean dips his head back down for another kiss, and Cas obliges.

Then he gently pushes him away. ‘But you should finish watching the episodes. You have to greet these people tomorrow, and I know some of them will be asking what you thought of them.’ Dean groans, head flopping back on the pillows behind them.

The next moment, Cas finds himself being yanked down, head next to Dean’s.

‘Fine. But only if you watch too.’

Dean reaches his hand out over the bed between them, his fingers grazing Cas’s, like he’s still nervous of doing something Cas may not want.

Cas in turn, threads his fingers through Dean’s.

They lay like that for the rest of the episode. Cas explains about Anna and why she was on the show and what she told him afterwards, about how Cas got his place as a contestant.

Dean squeezes his hand.

‘For what it’s worth, I’m really happy that other guy dropped out. Even with everyone else, I’m glad you’re the one lying next to me.’ They share another kiss, and then move onto episode four.

‘Wow,’ Dean mumbles again softly, when his Mom gets her scars out. ‘She never shows anyone those. You must be really special.’ He sits up, but only to find Cas’s other hand. ‘Which one did you injure?’ Cas wiggles the right one.

‘It was an accident. One of the soldiers messing around, trying to show off.’ He flexes his fingers, as Dean makes patterns on his palm.

‘You can’t even see a scar,’ Dean says. Cas points the tiny little dot of pink skin out to him. It’s difficult to find if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

But Cas spends a lot of time massaging that little dot, every time his hand plays up again. He knows it’s just physiological but every time the pain flares up he connects it to that little spot.

They settle back to watch John’s army course. ‘I bet Dad was gutted when Michael went,’ Dean says softly. Cas stays quiet.

They watch Benny and Cassie at the fire station, and the dinner with Sam and Charlie, all of them getting into the pool. ‘It looks like it was a fun house,’ Dean remarks.

‘The best place I’ve lived in,’ Cas says, realising the truth in it a moment later. Dean is looking at him so he clears his throat. ‘Watch. This is the good part.’

Dean raises an eyebrow when Benny and John use their vote offs, but says nothing. He’s grinning when Dorothy makes her exit speech. The screen rolls to a stop, waiting for Dean to click on the next episode.

‘Meg seemed fun. What a shame I’ll never get to know her.’ Cas winces.

‘Actually, Dean, me and her have already made plans to meet up. She’s my friend. Being in that house, it’s a bonding experience. I made friends with practically everyone. Apart from those who gave me the creeps, obviously.’

‘And Meg didn’t give you the creeps?’ Cas gives his new husband a look. ‘Alright, fine, I’ll keep my mouth shut.’ Dean goes to press play on episode five, but Cas puts his hand over the remote, stopping him.

‘Dean, can I ask you something? And I need you to be honest.’

‘Okay.’ Dean is frowning, but still holding his hand. Cas takes a deep breath, but he needs to know the answer.

‘This was a contest. And yes, I won, and I’m happy I did. But do you think you could see yourself with Cassie? Benny said you could fall for her. And what about Lisa? She honestly seemed pretty perfect for you. You her and Ben could have been a family.’

‘What are you asking here Cas?’

Cas shakes his head. He’s not even sure of the question. ‘You want to know if Cassie or Lisa had won if I’d be here holding their hand, kissing them. You want to know if I’m happy one of the weirdos didn’t win, but if I’d secretly prefer that someone else was here.’

‘Yes.’ Dean looks at the screen. Cassie’s waving goodbye into the camera, Lisa smiling and clapping behind her.

Cas is at the side, only half his profile in the frame.

‘The truth is, I’m not sure. I haven’t met them, so I can’t say if I’d feel that instant attraction to them that I felt to you. Yes, they’re both attractive woman – really attractive in fact – but I usually look for other things before I make a move on someone. Eye contact, a few exchanged words.’ Cas gives a reluctant smile. ‘And they seem perfectly nice. Maybe me and Cassie could have worked when I was younger, but Benny was right. She’s scared about my job, doesn’t understand why I put myself in danger and like you said, this is a TV show. The first time she made a comment about it, I’d know we weren’t for the long haul. I love my job, it’s in my blood. I wouldn’t give it up for anyone.’

‘And Lisa?’ Cas asks. This is what he’s really scared of.

‘It was you and her, wasn’t it? Final two.’

‘Yes,’ Cas says. ‘But before you tell me maybe you should watch the next episode.’

He presses down on play before Dean can say another word.


	39. Chapter Thirty-Nine: Cas

They watch it in silence. Dean doesn’t make a single comment until the credits are rolling, the phone numbers for Cas and Lisa up in the corner.

‘Yes,’ Dean says. ‘Yes, if Lisa was here right now, I’d be getting to know her. I’d probably have kissed her too, but not until after this episode. She didn’t duel and then release the hottest grin I’ve ever seen. And, to be honest Cas, I think if she had won, I’d still be wondering about you. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t mind if she was the one next to me. Except you’d be on my mind. I’d be thinking ‘who the hell is that guy?’ and I’d want to know more. But you won.’ Dean turns to look at Cas, eyes travelling over his face.

Cas leans himself up a little on the mattress. ‘And I’m not thinking about her.’

They sink into another kiss, Dean now half lying on top of Cas, gently getting to know each other. Cas tastes Dean, the coffee he had earlier. He traces the outline of his tattoo, surprised but happy when Dean gives a small growl, and pulls the shirt off over his head.

It's the first time he’s been confronted with Dean Winchester half naked, and Cas can’t help but think he agrees with it.

‘You are wearing too many clothes,’ Dean says, tugging at Cas’s shirt. With a little help, they free his upper body too, the shirt discarded on the floor.

They’ve agreed that they won’t go too far tonight. That watching a TV show doesn’t mean they know each other, and that if this has a chance of working – which they both want – it’s better not to rush into everything.

That being in a room with the rest of the contestants all smirking at the idea of what they got up to last night would be too much to handle.

Cas runs his hand through Dean’s hair, and a wave of something so powerful washes over him.

He won. He’s here. He’s getting to make out with Dean Winchester, to touch him in places he’s only seen on TV.

He wonders if it’s like this for fans who get to make out with their idol. If they suddenly have a moment of thinking ‘this is what I’ve been dreaming about.’

If it feels as right for them as it does for him, right now.

He grins up at Dean, head firmly back on the pillows. The wedding episode has started, someone accidently pressing play on the remote, but neither of them turn their heads to watch it.

They don’t even notice when the episode stops. The only reason they pull apart is because Dean’s phone pings four times in a row.

Dean rolls off Cas, who misses the body heat and contact, and leans over to the table to grab his phone, giving Cas a great view of his backside.

Cas is very happy with his new husband.

‘It’s Jess,’ Dean says. ‘She says we’ve got a long day tomorrow and that we should get some rest. She hopes everything is going okay but reminds us that if we don’t want to spend hours in make-up we really do need to get some sleep.’ He tosses the phone back down, and turns to Cas. ‘What do you reckon?’

‘I’d like to kiss you more, but Jess is smart and she knows what she’s doing. It’s going to be a lot tomorrow. The party, meeting everyone again. The flight to Paris.’ Dean gives a shudder, and Cas smiles at him. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll be there to hold your hand.’

‘Bed?’ Dean asks.

‘Bed,’ Cas confirms. Dean stands from the bed, stretching.

Cas decides to take a shower, mainly to get the small pieces of confetti out of his hair. He shakes his head over the sink, marvelling at the glitter that falls out. Dean appears behind him in the mirror.

‘What’s going to happen when we get back from Paris? Where are we going?’

‘I guess we’d go home,’ Cas says. Dean comes into the bathroom, leaning against the sink.

‘Yeah, but where is that? Are you going to spend a week in Kansas, and then we go to your home for the next week?’

‘We could annoy each other so much in Paris that we decide to separate,’ Cas says.

‘Oh lovely, you’re an optimist,’ Dean deadpans. ‘Don’t you think we should figure this out now? What if everything goes good in Paris? When we come back we still won’t know what to do.’

‘Well,’ Cas says, turning to fiddle with the towels behind him. ‘I can write for anywhere. And I don’t have another trip coming up for at least a few months.’

‘Really? You’d stay in Kansas? What about your home?’

‘The only thing tying me to that place are the deeds,’ Cas answers. ‘If after the honeymoon, we still feel like this could work, then yes. I’d like to move to Kansas. To see if we could build something.’

‘To see,’ Dean repeats.

‘Yes. A one-bedroom apartment because we should probably date before we officially move in.’ Cas says.

‘Who knows, if it goes really well we could even end up getting married,’ Dean says. Cas’s gaze flashes down to the silver ring adorning his hand. He still can’t believe he’s here. With Dean. Married.

They smile at each other, and then Dean clears his throat and leaves Cas to his shower.

A little while later, Cas comes back into the bedroom. Dean’s cleared the bed, rose petals scattered all over the floor. He’s in the bed himself, covers thrown over him, phone lighting up his face in the dark room. He’s facing away from Cas, but turns when he hears footsteps.

‘Is this alright? I know we said we weren’t going to go too fast and I’m more than happy to sleep on the sofa if you want me to.’

‘No,’ Cas says, clearing his throat. ‘It’s a big bed. We’ll be fine. If that’s okay with you?’ he asks.

Dean just grins at him, and flips the covers on the other side of the bed back, an invitation for Cas to climb in.

They stay like that, just looking at each other. Cas still can’t quite believe it. He reaches up to brush some hair from his face, when his wrist is caught by Dean.

He’s still wearing _The One_ charm bracelet. He hasn’t been allowed to take it off for six weeks, and it didn’t even occur to him tonight.

Dean plays with the little charms, rolling them between his finger and hissing slightly when he digs the sword one into his thumb.

‘That’s sharp,’ he says. Cas laughs.

Dean’s phone goes off, and he looks at it, smiling to himself.

‘What’s so funny?’ Cas asks in the dark room, his new husband next to him.

‘Charlie. She’s already made plans for when we come back. Apparently, there’s a _Star Wars_ movie night that needs to be arranged ASAP? You, me, her and Dorothy. Sam and Jess too if Jess can get over for it.’

‘So, it’s all go then? Charlie and Dorothy? I haven’t spoken to Dorothy since she left.’

‘Yeah, its definitely a go. Actually, it’s a shame we didn’t get a bouquet of flowers. I could have thrown it to her or Sam tomorrow when I see them.’ Dean gets a faraway look on his face, but Cas can feel sleep creeping up on him.

‘We can get some in the morning before the party,’ he says, laying a hand on Dean’s shoulder.

Dean grabs it, pressing a kiss to his palm, as they settle down to sleep.

‘I’m really happy you’re _The One,_ Cas.’

‘Me too, Dean. Me too.’


	40. Chapter Forty: Almost 12 Months Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before the last chapter ( :'( ) I would just like to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who has commented, left kudos, or even just those who have read this story. Readers really make the fanfic, and that people have liked this story, and have been excited by it, and eager for updates and even INSPIRED by their own ideas for prequels (which I may be working on...) honestly means so much to me. Like I seriously walk around with a big grin on my face after I read your comments. 
> 
> If anyone is interested, this is based on a one shot I wrote for the 30 days of cheesy tropes challenge which I completed earlier this year called Finding Mr. Right. It differs a little bit, but if you would like to read a slightly different version (it's all from Dean's POV) and the thing that sparked this whole story off (or indeed, if you'd like to read any of my 30 days of cheesy tropes challenge which I'm going to promote because if I cant do it here, where can I) then please do! 
> 
> Once again, Thank you, from the bottom of my heart and I love you all.
> 
> Please enjoy the last chapter of The One: Supernatural Edition

** Epilogue: Almost 12 months later  **

****

‘You invited Crowley?’ Dean asks. He stops lying out the party food on the dining table, turning to look as Cas. ‘Why?’

‘Because he’s involved in this, regardless of how you feel about him. And he and Balthazar are practically best buddies now days. What was I supposed to do?’

‘Not invite him into our home.’

‘He’s not a vampire, Dean.’ Dean gives the table once last glance over. It’s holding up pretty well under the mountain of food on it. Charlie went a little overboard with the planning.

‘He always flirts with you,’ Dean says. Cas stops what he’s doing and wraps his arms around his husband’s waist.

‘He only does that to wind you up,’ Cas says. ‘But it’s nice to know it works.’ He moves out of the way as Dean goes to hip check him.

‘And he and Balthazar still haven’t slept together?’ Dean asks. ‘I really thought that would happen the first week out of the house.’ Cas winces at this topic of conversation. Dean finds it weird that Crowley and Balthazar have kept in touch in the year since their season of _The One_ ended.

It’s what they’re preparing for tonight. The newest season of _The One_ starts at 8pm, and Cas and Dean are throwing a viewing party.

There’s a new host of _The One_ – Jo having quit, saying she was fed up of only ever meeting men competing for someone else’s hand in marriage -, and a new show runner.

The doorbell rings in Cas & Dean’s apartment, Cas having moved in when Sam moved out about four months ago.

‘That’ll be Sam and Jess,’ Dean says. He opens the door, grinning at his brother and his very pregnant sister-in-law. ‘Hey, come on in. How’re you feeling?’ Jess blows some hair out of her face as she walks into the living room.

‘Ridiculous. Who decides to have a baby in late summer? I’m sweaty and bloated, eurgh.’ She flops down in the armchair. ‘Not that we decided anything of course, did we our happy little accident?’ she says, prodding her stomach.

Sam sits next to her. ‘Are you guys all ready for tonight? How many people do you have coming exactly?’ he says, scanning over the groaning table and the beers in the cooler on the counter.

‘Well us two and you two, Charlie and Dorothy. Balthazar and Crowley, Meg,’ Dean stops to make a gagging noise. It says something about their relationship that all Cas does is raise an eyebrow at him. ‘Aaron and Garth.’

‘What about Benny? He didn’t want to be here for the big reunion?’ Jess asks.

‘When I asked if he’d like to come he told me he’d rather stick pins in his eyes than watch this trash TV. Sorry.’ Jess shakes her head.

‘No, its fine. Some people just aren’t cut out for reality television. Those people are wrong of course, but everyone’s entitled to their opinion.’

Sam and Dean go off to the kitchen, and Cas perches next to Jess on the arm of her chair.

‘How’re you finding it? Not being there this year?’ Jess has taken a year off for her maternity leave, but she had to step down as show runner before that. She’s moved to Kansas, her and Sam into a two-bedroom apartment just one street away from Cas and Dean. After the surprise pregnancy and a shotgun wedding, it just seemed to make sense.

As she said _The One_ was very high pressured and with a baby, she probably wouldn’t want to spend six weeks taking care of other people again. Instead she’s going to look into something a little less around the clock in Kansas after her year is up.

‘As long as they don’t beat my ratings for last year, I’ll be fine,’ she says. It’s true that her season of _The One_ got the highest ratings the show has ever had. And the publicity after the event to back it up with too. ‘But it’ll be weird to watch it on TV and not actually know the contestants. I’ve worked on it since season four. That’s a lot of years.’ Cas squeezes her hand.

The doorbell rings and a whole host of people spill in the too small living room.

 

‘Maybe we did invite too many,’ Cas whispers to Dean as he passes him by. People are on the floor, Charlie’s in Dorothy’s lap on the sofa, Balthazar squashed in the middle between them and Crowley.

‘And you wanted everyone to come,’ Dean says shaking his head, and offering the beers around.

Cas did try to invite everyone. He even thought about extending the invitation to people like Dick, and Gordon, but decided in the end they’d only refuse to come anyway. Or they’d turn up and ruin the whole evening.

They don’t talk to Rhona, Lydia, Carmen or Robin. By the time it got to the party where they met Dean, they’d spent longer at the hotel than with the other contestants. None of them seemed fussed, and none of them offered numbers to stay in contact. From what Cas has heard – and that’s mainly through Jess who keeps up to date with her contestants – Carmen and Rhonda got more jobs from the show are making quite good money modelling and from other reality TV shows.

Lydia and Robin went back to their everyday lives.

Gordon didn’t even come to the party at the hotel, spending the last night in his room. Jess hasn’t heard from him either.

They don’t speak to Bela or Nick. Bela went back to England, and Nick spent the whole of the party trying to steal Dean’s attention and handing him a napkin with his number on it at the end ‘just in case.’

Aaron’s decided to go back to university, as a mature student. They’re not as close as some of the others, but keep up with each other on social media, and Cas sent him an advance of his newest book, which he really seemed to like.

Dick didn’t bother to talk to any of them. At the party, he strode right up to Dean, shook his hand, and then left. His face is now on billboards as he’s become the latest spokesperson for the snack company he owns.

And Anna. Anna who met Dean, burst into tears and had to spend the night in the hotel bar, drinking. Balthazar mentioned he’d spoken to her the other day, a twinkle in his eye. Cas refrained from asking if they’d actually gone to Vegas to get married and do the deed. He didn’t really want to know.

They don’t talk to Pete either, although Jess says he’s been getting a ton more work as _Dr. Sexy_. According to him the public love that he stays in character all the time.

Meg and Cas talk all the time, mainly on the phone. Cas isn’t quite sure what she gets up to when she’s not visiting them, but he’s not sure he wants to know the details either.

Michael went back to the army. He’s still in contact with John, but doesn’t really speak to Dean or Cas all that much.

Cassie went back to her life before the show, driving the monster trucks into the area each night. She’s invited them all to come down and have a look around if they’re ever nearby, and Cas knows a few people from the show have made it, himself and Dean included.

Benny was right. Cas can see why Cassie and Dean could have had, and for a moment it did make him wonder ‘what if…’

But then Cassie flinched as a monster truck took a bump a little too fast, and Cas knows her nerves would have been shredded waiting every night for Dean to come home. There are some nights when he himself waits up, just in case.

Garth is now dating his assistant, Bessie, the one who dressed up like a fairy for the little kids. His practise is going from strength to strength, but he’s flown out specially tonight so he could be here to watch the show.

Dorothy’s moved to Kansas too, although her and Charlie aren’t living together. Not yet anyway, although Cas has a sneaking suspicion it won’t be far off.

Balthazar and Crowley are always coming to visit them, and then going off to another country. Sometimes together, sometimes not.

If this was a year ago, Cas knows he would have been jealous. Balthazar was the only person in his life.

But now he’s got Dean and Sam and Jess, Charlie and Dorothy, Meg. Mary who treats him like another son, and John.

And then there’s Lisa. The image Cas has of Lisa is her standing outside the chapel in her wedding dress, a smile on her face as she waves to her son.

Before she had to get into a car, and be driven away.

They text, sometimes. Maybe a couple of times every other month or so, just to see how the other is getting on. But Lisa went back to her life, and as she explained to Cas at the party, it would be hard for her to get to know Dean. It would make the ‘what if’ questions a little more difficult to live with, if she realised they could have worked if she’d won.

Cas feels bad, but it was her choice, and he has to admit it makes it a little easier on him not having Lisa around.

Not that he thinks Dean would do anything. But the what if questions still plague him from time to time too.

‘It’s starting. Here we saved you a space,’ Dorothy says. She budges up on the sofa a little, causing grunts from the others, and Cas slips into the tiny seat next to her. Dean perches on the side, arm slung around behind Cas’s back.

The credits roll and the new presenter appears on screen. Everyone agrees she isn’t a patch on Jo.

‘And now it’s time to catch up with last year’s couple, Dean Winchester, and the guy you voted _The One,_ Castiel Shurley.’ The screen cuts to a studio where the host is sitting opposite Cas and Dean.

Back at their apartment there’s a lot of catcalling, and Dean squeezes Cas’s shoulder.

‘So, guys. You both seem happy. How are you feeling? It’s been a year since the show ended, what are you guys up to now?’

‘Well, I’m still writing. My newest book came out a few months ago,’ Cas says on screen.

‘And I’m still a firefighter,’ Dean says. ‘So, I guess in that sense nothing has changed that much.’

‘That’s always what we like to hear,’ the host says smiling. ‘You guys seem pretty friendly with each other. Is the marriage still going strong?’ she asks.

‘Well, I’d hope so,’ Dean says. On screen, he takes Cas’s hand in his, lacing their fingers together, weddings rings getting a close up shot on screen. ‘At least it was ten minutes ago, before we came in here. If anything’s changed since then, I haven’t been informed.’

‘It hasn’t changed,’ Cas says.

In their living room, surrounded by friends Cas settles back into his husband’s arms. He can’t believe that one year ago his life started on the path that led him to this.

To Dean.

‘Well, it’s been fantastic to meet up with you, and I’m sure the viewers at home are bursting with excitement at the news you guys are still together and married. And in love, I guess,’ she says, smiling at them. ‘You’re the first couple on the show we’ve had still together a year later.’

‘Well hopefully this year’s couple will find love too,’ Cas says. He likes the idea of someone else just starting out on the path to love.

‘Dean, since you were the suitor last year, any last words before we meet this season’s contestants?’

Dean turns to look into the camera, still holding Cas’s hand.

‘I just want to say thank you to everyone who voted for Cas, who had a hand in him being voted the winner. Because he really is the best thing in my life, and I need to thank you guys for bringing him to me. So, thank you. Cas really is _The One.’_

****


End file.
